A Meeting in a White Land
by A-moment-Behind
Summary: The story of Aveline and Connor's meeting but expanded and how I think it should have continued. Disclaimer: I do not own Assassin's Creed or any of the characters. All credit goes to Ubisoft and others behind its production.
1. Part 1

Aveline shivered even under all the thick fur she wore. It was still colder than she had expected, not taking Achilles up on his word about how barren and cold the North was compared to the South. He had been right though. She had never seen so much snow nor felt a sharp coldness than she was feeling and seeing right now.

The coldness seemed to weigh her down as she plowed forward through the woods, opting not to take a horse along because of the added burden and because of the unjust treatment she had received in a town a few miles back. Though the north was scarcely populated with her kind, she was still treated like manure, like something people only needed to help grow their crops. Aveline could already imagine how mistreated her "brother" was. The half-European, half-Native assassin must have had a tough time growing up, tougher than her.

Rubbing her hands together, Aveline stopped a moment to gather her bearings. The point of contact with Connor was supposed to be around here somewhere, and Aveline was sure she was going in the right direction. There was a hint of smoke in the air that was getting stronger and stronger as she continued walking.

Passing by a tree, a shudder went down her spine, and she ducked, narrowly allowing the arrow to miss her head. Dropping lower, she rolled a bit to her left, hiding under a bush. She waited a moment, listening to her surroundings, but nothing seemed out of place. The arrow had come due north, a few yards away, but from whom, enemy or not, she didn't know. Could it have been Connor or loyalist scum?

A movement to her right caught her gaze, and she followed it, carefully maneuvering herself so that a tree stood between them at all times. It stopped a few feet from her, and Aveline could see it was only a deer.

She rolled her eyes but stayed alert, knowing that a deer could not have been the one to shoot the arrow at her.

She had been right.

A whoosh sounded to her right. Aveline ducked again, rolling into a thicket of bush before standing and advancing on her attacker. He wore a hood and seemed a bit surprised that she attacked him back, knowing exactly where he was. His movements echoed her own, a bit better, faster.

He kicked away her ax, sending her stumbling back into a tree, but Aveline countered, swerving around it and kicking him in the side as he advanced. The hooded man stumbled, and Aveline triggered her hidden blade, aiming at his throat. However, he proved quicker than her and grabbed her arm, staying her blade.

"You are an Assassin?" His voice was calm, but she couldn't see his face.

Aveline sneered at him, "So what if I am, Monsieur?"

The man released her and stepped back, apologizing. Aveline kept her guard, steadying her blade at her side if he made any sudden movement. He made no attempt toward her, and she eyed him, finally noticing the Assassin's emblem on his belt.

Instantly her demeanor dropped, and she stood, retracting her blade. "Connor? I'm Aveline de Grandpré, your... 'brother' from New Orleans." She inclined her head toward him. Connor did the same.

"Yes, I know. Achilles told me of your arrival and your mission. Sorry I attacked you. Just look at the destruction those men you seek left. I thought you were one of them, left behind." He gestured around them at the burned and chopped down trees and the charred ground.

Aveline smiled sadly at Connor, taking him and his care for nature in. She would not fault him. This time. "I understand."

"The men you seek are still near. Their trail leads this way. We should follow carefully." Connor stated, already turning his back on Aveline and leading the way.

Aveline stayed still as she watched him depart. So this was Connor. Her Northern "brother" burdened by the freedom of their blooming country and the freedom of his own people. What was he truly like? Their cause seemed to be the same. Both of them were struggling with the freedom-liberation-of their people while facing the Templars who challenged their beliefs.

The thought of Templars had her mind returning to her mission at hand. Find this man, Officer Davidson, working for the Company Man and learn the Company Man's identity. With this in mind, Aveline walked off after Connor, advancing on him and taking the lead.

A quick glance over her shoulder toward him let her catch sight of a small smile that played upon his lips. She didn't smile back, facing forward. This was her mission, and though she appreciated his help, she was in charge.

As they walked further, Aveline tried to keep her mind focused on her mission, but she was painstakingly aware of Connor's form walking behind her. Yet, it wasn't just his physical form she was aware of, but his being. There was something about him that intrigued her.

"Connor-" She looked back at him, seeing he stilled and listened intensely to their surroundings. "What is it Connor?"

"Over there," he pointed ahead of them. "It is a trap. I will hold off the men while you take care of the sentry. Go!" Connor ran ahead a second before a group of men came out from beyond the trees, rushing them. Aveline steered clear of them, seeing a lone man running the opposite direction. She ran after him, ignoring the sounds of combat behind her. She had enough faith in Connor to leave those men to him. He was an assassin after all.

After a short run, she easily overpowered the loyalist, tackling him from behind and placing her blade to his neck. He spilled all information he had on Davidson, opting to spare his own life rather than his comrade's. Aveline stood up, allowing the pathetic man to run away.

"And don't let me see you again—you won't be able to run then, " Aveline called after the man as Connor jogged to her side. He watched the man run away.

"You let him go." Aveline noticed that it was a statement and not a question.

"He is of no further use to me. Dead or alive." She glanced over to Connor, but not being able to see his face due to his hood, she turned around. Her mouth fell open a bit at the beautiful waterfall, frozen in the side of the cliff. The very tall cliff.

"The... Fort is at the top or so said the sentry."

"Then we climb." Connor smiled at her, motioning for her to proceed first. It was, after all, her mission.

Aveline pursed her lips at him and walked determinedly toward the frozen waterfall, finding a good starting point. Then she was off. This was nothing to her. She didn't even look down to make sure Connor was following. He should be even more used to this than her.

They both made it to the top in under a minute, Aveline slightly out of breathe. Connor stood at her side, surveying their perimeter.

"You climb as though you've done it your whole life," Connor stated, startling Aveline with the compliment.

"Merci." Aveline smirked and spotted a break in the forest. "This way."

Connor didn't hesitate to follow, allowing the half-African female to lead the way. She had surprised him since the moment they met. Achilles had told him a bit about her past, of how she and her mother were declared free by her white father after her birth. How she had never lived in poverty like the rest of her people, but that caused her to take up arms for them after an incident in a marketplace and the disappearance of her mother.

He couldn't help but think they were similar in a lot of ways. She was merciful and skilled, as great of an assassin as he, probably better. He respected her and had no qualms in helping her in her mission. He'd do anything she needed of him.

They were just starting to clear the break as Connor spotted three soldiers to their left. Aveline must have seen them first because she swerved away from them, not slowing her pace or becoming detected. He followed behind her, emerging from the trees just in time to see her finish off two men swiftly and easily.

She was stealthy and strong, exactly what an Assassin was supposed to be.

A few other loyalists came at the sound of their men, and Connor saw them surround Aveline. He stepped forward to help, but a man kept him at bay with his pistol. Every step he took, the man shot at him. He didn't have time for this. He needed to get to Aveline. The men had ganged up on her, swigging their bayonets and axes. One of the men had injured her side, knocking her down. Connor growled in frustration, eyeing his holder and planning a way to get free. Before he could act though, Aveline had slit the man's throat, freeing him. He watched the man crumble to the ground then his eyes went over to the five men she sprawled out on the ground. She was good.

"Thank you," Connor said, but Aveline had already rushed ahead toward a wooden structure. He caught up easily enough.

Aveline had stalled as Connor pulled up beside her. He looked ahead and saw why. The bridge was out, probably due to the regiment to keep people away from their fort. "Can you get across?"

Aveline gave him an exasperated look before taking off and deftly navigating her way across the broken bridge, making it to the other side in record timing. She kicked down a large beam for Connor to pass over, smiling at him as he made it to her side. Connor noticed that she had used a whip to swing across, but before he could mention it, Aveline took off running through the trees again.

She bypassed a group of soldiers, ignoring them and heading toward the direction they had just left. Connor could feel her determination and anger as they drew closer to the Fort.

"We have to go over the Fort, Connor." He knew what she was referring to even before she started climbing over the snow-clad boulders to take to the trees. He, for one, preferred the trees to walking since it allowed him to get a higher perspective of the area and allowed him the upper hand.

Once over the Fort walls, Connor watched Aveline stealthy take out more soldiers. He kept thinking that she didn't even need his help. He smiled at the thought.

Aveline stopped, back against the wall as she heard men passing by. She knew she was close to getting to the watchtower that Officer Davidson was in and would finally be close to knowing the true identity of the Company Man.

Aveline looked over as Connor jogged to where she was. She couldn't help but smirk. Though she could have done this mission without him, she was actually glad to have him beside her. It was reassuring. "We're almost there." Connor nodded, and they took off. More soldiers were patrolling, and they made quick work of them, reaching the tower only after killing off five or six men.

Reaching the door, Aveline paused a second, taking in a deep breath. Connor pulled up beside her, placing a hand on her shoulder and nodding to her. He was right behind her.

She nodded back and opened the door. "I seek Davidson," she told the men inside. Their weapons aimed at her.

"Officer Davidson, if you would kindly pay me the respect my rank commands now," the man she sought stated as he turned to face her. Aveline's eyes narrowed. She knew that voice.

"It couldn't be..." Aveline whispered in disbelief. Connor was confused, not sure what to do even though he could clearly see that Aveline was dismayed by something about the man.

"What? George? It's you? You're... fighting for the British? And working for my enemy—who would enslave you? I'll say something's 'rank'," Aveline could no longer hold back her anger. She had helped George escape from enslavement, had asked some kind people to help escort him safely to the North, and this is how he repaid her kindness? He betrayed her. He had deceived her.

She heard him sprouting nonsense from his filthy mouth, surprised but seething with anger. Connor watched, knowing instinctively that whoever the man was had betrayed Aveline. Though she looked startled, despite the slip of anger that came out when she identified the loyalist, he could see her shaking with anger at herself and the man; at herself for being foolish enough to allow herself to be deceived by the man. He recognized that anger because he often felt it himself.

After Davidson stopped speaking, expecting an answer from her, she gave him one. Aveline triggered her blade, moving to kill the traitor. His men stopped her, but Connor and her made quick work of them while the coward, Davidson fled. Leaving Connor to finish the men, Aveline caught up to the traitor.

"I had hoped it would not come to this. Now, in death, eternal freedom," Aveline stated as she stood over George, prepared to take his life. George scuffed at her. Before killing him, Aveline demanded he tell her who the Company Man was.

Connor was waiting inside the watchtower after having dealt with Davidson's men. He had seen Aveline rush off after Davidson, but he knew she'd be back and had no need for his help anymore.

He had been right as she strolled back in the watchtower. She seemed listless as she stopped before him, looking around the tower before her eyes fell on him.

"Davidson...?"

"Dead." Connor nodded at the confirmation.

"Did you find what you sought?" He inquired.

"Oui, and much that I didn't..." Connor sensed that she had more to say, so he made no move to leave.

Aveline hesitated for a moment. She looked lost, sad. Uncertain. Connor frowned. What had Davidson said to her to make her look this way?

"Connor... are you always... certain in the means and ways of the Brotherhood?" Her eyes scanned his hooded face for any sign of understanding or reproach.

Connor hadn't expected that, but he didn't fault her for questioning her belief in the Brotherhood. He placed his hand on her shoulder, to signal that he understood her internal conflict. "I... trust my own hands."

Aveline nodded, patting his hand on her shoulder. "Of course."

Connor let his hand slip off her shoulder slowly as she headed toward the door. "Travel safely, Aveline."

She paused at the door, not turning around. "It's the arrival that concerns me."

"Then you are on the right path." Aveline took a step back, meaning to turn to face him, but she stopped, sighing and heading out the door. Connor followed her after a few minutes, replaying the sad look on her face, in her voice, over and over. He'd give anything to see her pain gone.

"Would you mind if I stayed a bit longer. My mind is not ready to face the truths awaiting me in New Orleans." Connor had been startled. Aveline had not left yet but was leaning against the watchtower, waiting for him it seemed.

"Let's go." He would not question why she didn't leave nor would he question why he was happy that she didn't leave.

Aveline gestured for Connor to lead the way to his home, and she saw the flicker of a smile cross his lips.

As they walked, the snow started falling again. Aveline looked up, following behind Connor, thinking about what awaited her in New Orleans and what life had in store for her, and if she was ready for it. She also wondered why she kept picturing Connor as she thought of her future. Would he really be willing to follow her in life, despite his own? Could she count on him?

The wind picked up and scattered her thoughts as she shivered. Well, whatever life threw her way, she was sure she would get through it. With or without Connor.


	2. Part 2

Aveline leaned off the wooden fence to reach down and pet the dog that sat himself at her feet. It nuzzled her hand as she crouched down to rub his head.

"Good dog. Is everyone here always so friendly?" Aveline smiled to herself and the dog, still scratching behind his ears as he panted happily. She thought back to when Connor led her to his Homestead three days ago. Everyone who had been at home came out to say hello to him, greeting him with love and respect. They had treated her with the same respect when they saw she was an Assassin just as he.

Achilles hadn't been there when she came, but Connor said he'd be back soon, probably out getting extra supplies from the town over with a few other men. Aveline had been surprised by the whole set up Connor and Achilles had. Connor had told her that the people who lived here were those he had helped and allowed to settle the land with their families.

The dog turned from her, barking and running to the figure approaching her from a distance. Aveline was startled from her thoughts and looked up, watching as Connor bent down and petted the dog, a gentle smile spreading out on his face. She stayed crouch to better see his face, smiling at him. Connor was very different from the men that she had dealt with in New Orleans. Most of those men had been after her intimately, always having some ulterior motive, but Connor was ever the gentlemen, kind and sweet. She'd have called him naïve, but he was anything but that.

"Connor." Aveline called out to him, standing and slowly approaching him. He stood up as she reached his side, turning his smile on her.

"Aveline." He inclined his head toward her then watched the dog walk away. "Are you staying today as well?" Connor had asked her the same question every day she had stayed. He didn't mean anything mean by it; she could tell. He was just worried.

"I hope you don't mind me staying another day, cher." Connor turned to look at her, shaking his head.

"Stay as long as you like." He began walking away from her, but she fell in step with him as they approached his home.

"Have you received any word from New Orleans?" Aveline shook her head. She had sent a letter down to Agaté to tell him she wouldn't be returning for a while, that she had unanswered questions she thought the North could answer. There hadn't been a reply. Not that she expected there to be one. She and Agaté were at odds at the moment, and they could use the time apart.

"It's probably for the best." Aveline tried to sound neutral about it, but Connor could tell that something had been amiss ever since she came back from dealing with Davidson. He had to have said something to her that was eating her up inside; something that made her question the Brotherhood and her own life choices to be a part of it. He wasn't going to pressure Aveline into telling him about it. She'd do so in her own time.

They reached the door to Connor's house, but as he gestured for Aveline to go ahead of him, they heard a man shouting Connor's name.

Already alert, the Assassins turned and saw a man running and stumbling toward them. Connor ran to him with Aveline right on his heels.

The man collapsed into Connor's arms as soon as they reached him. "What happened? Tell me."

Connor laid him down, already standing, ready to take revenge on whoever hurt the man. Blood steadily poured from a gaping wound in the man's side from a bayonet, soaking through his shirt and coat as well as the snow below. Aveline gasped and took off her scarf, applying it and pressure to the man's wounded side.

"Thanks, but I'm not gonna make it." The man coughed up blood. "Connor... it was the guards. They surprised us from the woods... We... I... I just barely got away. They took the supplies we got... Achilles... he's still there. Please, help them. Please. I'm sorry..."

Aveline somberly and slowly removed her hands away from the thoroughly soaked scarf as he took his final breath. She reached over and closed his eyes as others from the Homestead came out to see what happened. Connor touched her shoulder, and she stood as the other men picked up and carried the body away for burial. They stood there for a moment, watching the men.

"I'm sorry, Connor." Aveline turned to Connor, but the Native had already turned and walked away. "Where are you going?"

"To get some answers," he called back over his shoulder. His pace was picking up and before long he was full out sprinting. Aveline wasted no time in responding as she took off after her comrade.

It didn't take them long to find the place where the man said they'd been attacked. The smell of gun powder and blood heavily perfumed the area, and the bodies of guards and Connor's men littered the ground. Aveline felt sick to her stomach, but she kept running after Connor. She too had noticed that Achilles' body had not been among those fallen. The old Assassin must still be alive and fighting somewhere else.

Connor kept running, blindly following his instincts until Aveline shouted. His heart skipped a beat at her shout of pain, and he quickly slid to a stop, veering around and returning to her side. She was crouched down, holding onto her arm while blood trickled from between her fingers.

"I got me a darkie!" A man called from a far. His declaration was followed by other rude remarks and laughter. Connor looked up and saw the guards rushing toward them from the west. Achilles was still nowhere in sight.

"Are you alright?"

"Merde," Aveline stood and held onto her arm, sneering at the men approaching them. "I'm fine. It's just a flesh wound." She unhooked her ax and ran at the nearest guard. Their weapons locked before she kicked him in the stomach, bringing up her hidden blade and slicing his throat open. As he fell to the ground dead, she turned to the next man. This wasn't her mission this time, so Connor joined in. Their backs to one another as the men attacked them with everything they had.

The Assassins made quick work of the guards, leaving one badly wounded but alive. Connor gripped the man by the collar, hoisting him up and at eye level. "Where are Achilles and the others? Why did you attack them?"

The guard weakly held onto Connor's arms, pleading to be let go, that he was only following orders. They had been sent to stake out the Homestead by their Grand Master, but they had run low on supplies. He blamed the other men for attacking the men returning and told of an old African male who had run off with it, heading east. Connor demanded to know who their Grand Master was, but the man died before getting the chance to say so.

Aveline stood off to the side, watching Connor the entire time. It had been the first time she seen him get so angry, so violent, but she always knew he was capable of it. Mostly, because she, too, was capable of it. They were alike in so many ways.

He dropped the dead man's body, looking off to the woods, not speaking. His hands clenched and unclenched for a few moments before he turned to face her. "Let's go back." She understood what he was saying. He was positive that Achilles and the survivors returned to the Homestead already.

When they reached it, they had been right. Achilles was resting in a chair outside their house when Connor and Aveline returned. He smiled at her before frowning at Connor. "Where y'all been?" Connor told him of the man and their fight with the guard who had attacked Achilles in the woods.

"That was foolish, boy. Now, Aveline, come in 'ere and let me treat that wound." Aveline followed Achilles inside, turning back once to see Connor's hands and jaw clenched tight. She feared he'd do something he'd regret later.

After Achilles patched her arm up, Aveline sat with him inside while he prepared dinner. They sat in silence as Aveline didn't know what to bring up first. She had so many questions about Connor, and Achilles himself, but more so about the Brotherhood, but she didn't know how he'd take her questions.

"Achilles," she only got out his name before Connor came storming into the house.

"I'm leaving to go tell Washington about the Templar's plans to kill him." Aveline frowned, not entirely sure what was going on. On the other hand, Achilles threw down the spoon he was holding and spun on Connor.

"Connor, we are Assassins. We work quietly and do not go around announcing conspiracies from the rooftops. He has no business knowing our fight with the Templars." Achilles voice rose louder and louder as he spoke to Connor, intensely livid at the Native.

Connor glared at Achilles. "I wouldn't have to if you lead us better. You call yourself a Master Assassin, but I don't see it. You've allowed the Templars to dominate our lands, kill our men. What kind of a leader are you? Washington is a far better one than you'll ever be."

Aveline watched as Achilles' anger grew, but he remained silent for a few minutes after Connor's outburst about his leadership. She didn't know if she should get in the middle of their fight.

Achilles slowly breathed out, physically calming himself. "Connor. You are naïve. Life isn't a fairy tale. There are no happy endings, son." His words held a sadness that Aveline heard, but Connor apparently did not. He stormed out the house, followed by the other Assassins

"I do not believe you or that. What you say is true only if men like you are in charge, Achilles." With that, he headed toward a horse at the stables, climbing aboard its back as Achilles followed, shouting at him, but the Native wasn't hearing a thing he was saying.

It was silent while Connor rode off, leaving Achilles and Aveline standing stunned near the house. She had remained by the door, watching as Achilles kicked the ground, shouting and swearing to himself. When the old man had enough control over himself, he came back to the house, looking at Aveline with weariness. "I'm sorry about all this. That boy is dealing with a lot right now. Damn fool wishes to save the world, but he can't see that he could also destroy it in the process."

He sighed and walked past her, heading inside as she stood there still looking in the direction that Connor took off in. He was long gone, but she was worried, wishing him to return safely and that he would choose to do the right thing. Whatever that was.

"Connor..." Aveline stayed outside just a little while longer, understanding and worry raging inside her, but she heard Achilles calling her name and stating that supper was ready. She gave one last look back before heading inside, shutting the door.

Aveline helped Achilles clean the kitchen before the old man departed from the house to see if any of the settlers needed any help with anything. She put away the last glass then sighed, looking out the kitchen window, watching Achilles enter the home of a couple expecting their first child. She smiled at that then turned and left. There wasn't much she had done around the Homestead since Connor left. He hadn't returned in days and sent them no letters.

Her mind always thought of him, worrying about his well-being, hoping that he was alright and though she knew he could take care of himself, she kept thinking something bad happened to him. The thoughts turned to nightmares at night, resulting in her getting less and less sleep, but she did odd jobs around the Homestead to help keep her mind off him during the mornings. Or she tried to. The settlers would ask her questions about Connor and if he'd back. She always answered that he'd return soon, but even she was starting to doubt her words. He wouldn't abandon them forever, but she wasn't sure if he'd return in a matter of days, week, or months. Years even.

The sound of footsteps on the porch out front caught Aveline's attention. Achilles usually didn't return from his rounds until near supper, but she figured he'd come back to get something. She headed for the door, reaching and opening it as the footsteps neared.

"Achilles, do you need help with someth-," Aveline's mouth hung open as her eyes met Connor's. His hand was still outstretched as he meant to open the door himself. Her mind froze upon looking at his face, seeing that he was alright. He let his hand fall and stood staring right back at her, a smile creasing his lips. Tears welled up in her eyes as relief washed over her. He had returned, safely to her—to the Homestead.

"Connor... cher, you're back." Her voice was a light whisper, still shocked at seeing him. Connor nodded. His eyes scanned her face, a face he had seen in his dreams every day that he had been away. His mouth opened to say something to her, but a rather loud cough sounded behind him and jolted him back to his senses.

"Aveline, this is... my father-," Connor started saying until the man stepped forward and interrupted Connor.

"I'm Haytham Kenway. By your attire and your accent, I can see you are from the South. Louisiana perhaps? How do you fancy the weather here in New York? I find it rather cold myself." Haytham smiled at her as Connor stood off to the side. She frowned at Haytham as he came from behind Connor, and she cleared her throat softly.

"Yes, I'm from New Orleans. The weather here and back home are quite different, Monsieur," Haytham smirked at her French, placing his hands behind his back.

"It is nice to meet you, Aveline. Now, Connor, we have much to discuss. I'd rather do it inside between the two of us. No offense, Miss Aveline."

Connor nodded and the three went inside. Aveline stayed behind in the parlor as Connor and Haytham headed into the back study. Connor gave her a look, silently saying they'd talk later before he shut the door behind him and his father.

It was hours before the two emerged. Aveline had been sitting at a chair in the kitchen, waiting for the door to open. She had been tempted to go into the room a few times when the men had raised their voices at one another, but she remained in her seat, trusting in Connor. There was something about his father that she couldn't place, but something about him made her uncomfortable, untrusting of him. It was probably his demeanor or the fact that he was British. Her dealings with the British never ended well. They were her enemies, but he was Connor's father. He must have been even more so torn about it than she.

The door to the study opened and the two Kenways emerged. Connor called out to Aveline, and they headed into the kitchen upon her reply. Haytham had yet to remove his hat, but he had removed the cloak that he had on. Aveline watched as he moved around the kitchen, eyeing everything and taking in the rest of the house that he could see. The man was definitely British. The air about him was what she'd felt in all British men: snobby, stuck up, arrogant. He had to be a soldier too, higher ranking though given how he carried himself. Proper and commanding.

"Miss Aveline, if it is not too much trouble, I'd like a cup of tea. Please," Aveline stood and started preparing the tea, despite the sneer that she held back. Did he think she was a servant slave?

Connor stood by her side as she boiled the water at the stove. "I have to head out for a few supplies. When will Achilles return?" Connor wanted to know, so that he could get his father out before the old Assassin returned. The man hated his father with a passion that could melt whole icebergs with one glance.

"He should be returning soon," as though speaking of the devil himself, the front door opened, rebounding off the wall and creaking. "That must be him now." Achilles heard Aveline talking in the kitchen and headed toward her.

"Aveline. I told you that I would cook tonight. And do you have company?" He rounded the corner and his eyes first fell upon Connor. His eyebrows raised in mild surprise, wondering why the Native had returned. Then his eyes caught sight of Haytham standing up from the chair that he had occupied, waiting for his tea.

At first, Achilles just stared at the British man. A man he was used to seeing from afar. A man who he knew slaughtered many Assassins, innocents, and his own men. Then a raging anger bubbled over the man, and he pointed at Haytham. "Why is there a Templar in my home? Connor! How could you do this? Have you lost all sense while you have been gone? What filth has this man corrupted you with?" Each word out of Achilles' mouth dripped with venom for Haytham.

Aveline had been about to pour water into a cup for Haytham, but she stood frozen at the counter upon hearing that Haytham was a Templar. Connor's father was a Templar. Haytham was a Templar. Her mind continued to try and process that information. Then it rapidly went back to that watchtower, back to George. To the identity of the Company Man.

'The answer has been in your own backyard all along. Just open your eyes—'

Those had been the last words George had said to her about the identity of the Company Man. She still hadn't forgotten the words they exchanged that day, especially those last parting words.

Slowly, she placed the kettle back on the stove, turning it off and turning to face Haytham. Connor noticed and looked away from the livid Achilles.

"You are a Templar Master, aren't you, Monsieur Kenway?" Her voice was calm.

Haytham turned his attention from Achilles to her and smiled at her question. "You may call me Haytham, and yes, I am. I am a Grand Master. The equivalent to what Achilles is to your Assassin order. Though I have been far more successful." Haytham had turned his head to see how Achilles would react to that jeer of his.

He should have kept his attention on Aveline though for as soon as he stopped speaking, she lunged for him, blade already retracted. He barely saw her movement, only slightly dodging her blade by shifting his weight to his right. Her blade sliced his cheek, causing blood to trickle down it. He frowned, surprised by her anger, and when their eyes met. He saw her determined intent to kill him.

"Aveline!" Connor shouted at her, moving to grab her arm only to be pushed away by her in a swift move, sending him back into Achilles. She lunged for Haytham again, but he had been prepared now and held her off with his own blade. Upon seeing that he wielded a hidden blade, same as her and her Assassin brothers, Aveline growled, slicing and punching at him. Haytham blocked most of her blows, never hitting her back but keeping her at bay.

"I must ask what makes me the audience to your anger?" Haytham inquired after dodging a blow aimed at his neck.

"You are a Templar. You are British. We are enemies. Nothing more. I shall spare your life if you tell me the identity of the Company Man based in New Orleans." She all but shouted at Haytham.

"I know nothing about that." Haytham stated calmly, but Aveline called him a liar, knocking the Brit into the counter. Haytham stumbled, and she closed in on him; however, Connor grabbed a hold of her, bringing her into the parlor, carrying her outside then dumping her to the floor of the porch.

"What are you doing, Connor? I get that he's your father, but he is a Templar! He is our enemy!" She flung her arm out, gesturing to the house where Haytham remained. "He should be dead at our feet, not being served tea. Pour l'amour de Dieu, Connor, where does your loyalty lie? Do you not know of our struggles with the Templars? Surely, you must."

Connor remained calm as she shouted at him, and when she stopped he just stared at her, sadness and uncertainty in his gaze. Aveline stilled, watching him.

"I know. I've always known he was a Templar, and I know what that means he has done. But... he is my father, Aveline. It's not that simple. Enemy or friend. It's not that easy when it comes to him..." His eyes focused on the ground beneath him, hands clenched.

Connor sounded torn, on the brink of breaking down. She could tell how much this business with his father was eating away at him, and she wasn't helping.

"Cher... I'm sorry. I was blinded. As you once told me, I trust in your hand. In your judgment." Aveline crossed the space that separated them, and she placed her hand on Connor's cheek. He looked up from the ground, covering her hand with his own. Their eyes locked a moment before Connor pulled Aveline in for a tight hug. She reciprocated, hugging him back and placing her head on his shoulder.

"I trust in no one but you, mon cher."


	3. Part 2 Side: Missing Supplies

Connor didn't look back as he drove the horse onward, ignoring the words Achilles sprouted angrily after him, but he couldn't ignore the look he had seen on Aveline's face as she stood in the doorway. There had been something in her eyes that made him regret ever having started that foolish fight, made him regret his words, but it was too late to turn back now. Washington had a right to know that someone, the Templars, were aiding the fight against him, planning on killing the Commander.

"Ha!" Connor spurred the horse on, crouching down low on her back as they raced off, heading toward Valley Forge in Pennsylvania, the last place he had heard news of Washington's presence.

About two hours later, Connor arrived at the Continental camp where Washington was based. He was greeted like a friend by some of the other men, while others just sneered at him. They didn't like that the Native was so familiar with their Commander.

Connor walked through the camp, looking for Washington and found the man looking off into the distance near the cannons.

"Commander?" Connor called out as he approached the man.

"Connor." Washington looked back, acknowledging him but returning his gaze out into the blurry distance.

Connor stood beside him. "Any word on Lee?" He waited patiently as Washington didn't immediately reply. Something seemed to be troubling the Commander.

"Not yet. My apologies, I've been distracted... Supply caravans meant for the camp have gone missing. I suspect treachery. A traitor named Benjamin Church, recently released from prison, has vanished as well. The two events are surely related."

Connor listened as Washington told him more about Church. He told the Commander that he'd go after the traitor, deciding to not tell Washington about the Templars at the moment. Maybe Achilles was right when he said that the Commander didn't need to think about the Templars and the colonist's fight raging on.

Washington told him about the South trail troubles, and Connor was off, heading in that direction on horseback. It took him no time to find the little shabby church, abandoned.

He dismounted from his horse, checking around him to make sure he was truly alone before heading into the building. There was hardly anything left in the little church, just a few discarded cartons and raggedy pieces of cloth.

Mildly throwing his hands up in frustration, Connor still, trying to figure out his next course of action. Suddenly, he heard the rustle of clothing above him and turned, looking up. Just as suddenly, a person was upon him, knocking him to the ground with a shout as his back connected with the hard wooden floor.

He didn't even look at the person before he knocked whoever it was off him, rolling onto his feet and triggering his hidden blade. The other stood up, wielding a hidden blade as well.

Connor's eyes narrowed upon the man's face. He had seen that face many times in his dreams. They had never formally met though. He just remembered Achilles pointing out to the man when they had been in Boston when he was a child. Now, he was face to face with the man who haunted his nightmares since he was little.

Haytham Kenway. His father. A Templar Grand Master.

Haytham frowned at Connor, seeing that the young Native was an Assassin, but that sneer turned into a smirk. "Evening Assassin. What brings you here?"

Connor said nothing as the two men circled one another, blades draw and guards on high alert.

"Something got your tongue? Perhaps you've come to surrender to me?" Again, Connor said nothing. Haytham's smirk dimmed to a dull frown. Honestly, there was something about the Assassin that was nagging at him. His face seemed far too familiar, but Haytham couldn't place where they could have met before. He encountered few Natives. The last time he could remember being so close to a Native was... when he last saw Ziio.

The very thought of Ziio saddened Haytham, but as he continued staring at the Assassin, who stared back at him, he could see Ziio in the young lad's face. But he couldn't have been...

Haytham lunged for Connor first, startling him and making him too slow to notice or to stop Haytham's sweep of his legs from under him. Down Connor went and Haytham was once again over him, blade poised over his throat.

"Who are you?" Haytham inquired, gripping onto Connor's collar. Connor frowned.

"So you didn't know I existed... Father." He hissed the words out at Haytham, anger at his father held since rising.

Haytham concealed his shock, but his blade moved a few inches away from Connor's neck. "My son...? What is your name?"

"Ratonhnhaké:ton."

"Oh, surely you have a proper name. You wouldn't have lasted this long without one."

Connor hesitated for a moment, not sure why, but being this close to his father was something he never imagined would happen. "Connor."

"Ah, Connor. Not a great name for a son of mine, but it'll do. Any last words?"

"Wait."

"A poor choice." Haytham stated with a shake of his head, but Connor kicked him off before his blade could connect, standing up. They circled one another again. Connor's anger bubbled over, and he couldn't stop himself from yelling at his father about Benjamin Church. He didn't even believe Haytham when the man told him that Church had betrayed the Templars as well.

They circled one another again, yelling and trying to reason with one another, more Haytham than Connor. Haytham grew agitated at Connor's unwillingness to see the reason and truth behind his words.

Sighing, Haytham calmed himself down. "Look. As much as I'd like to spar with you, Benjamin Church's mouth is as big as his ego. You clearly want the supplies he's stolen. I want him punished. Our interests are alike."

Connor looked away from his father, taking in what the old man was saying. What he said was correct, in a way. Even he knew that. Slowly, he looked at his father. "Well, what do you propose?"

"A truce. Perhaps... perhaps some time together would do us some good. You are my son after all, and you might be saved from your ignorance. I could kill you know if you prefer?" Haytham triggered his blade, but Connor said nothing. He took it as a yes.

Connor wasn't sure about this truce his father proposed, but he needed help with finding Church and figured that his father could help better than anyone else. And, more than he was willing to admit, he wanted this time with his father. He wasn't a child anymore, but for some reason, he wanted to be with his father. It was strange.

Haytham headed off to the door, but Connor called him out, asking him if he even knew where Church was. Stopping and sighing, Haytham admitted he didn't. Ignoring his father's sneer at him when he said he could possibly track him, Connor did so, going out of the church, looking for clues to where Church and his men were headed.

It didn't take him too long, noticing a man with a cart a few meters away. When they approached the man, he ran. Of course, Connor caught the man easily. After questioning the man about Church, Haytham simply killed the man. His father's blatant cruelty angered Connor as did his orders. Connor didn't trust the man, but he listened.

Again, it didn't take Connor long to find out where Church's men were, but when he arrived to their holdings, he say that Haytham had been captured. It took all his will to not voice his frustrations at his father's carelessness. The man was supposed to be a Templar Grand Master, and he gets caught so easily? Connor rolled his eyes, dropping down to confront the men, saving his father.

Connor finished off the last man, slowly returning to his father's side. Haytham was leaning against a wall, holding onto his side. One of the men had gotten him in the side with a bayonet.

"Don't say a word, Connor. Just get me to a town." Connor nodded, reluctantly going over and helping Haytham out. They hobbled along at a slow pace toward the nearest town.

It would take days until Haytham would recover, and Connor proposed they go back to the Homestead to further discuss their plans on what to do with Church. Haytham agreed, not too excited about it but deciding it was a good opportunity to see how Connor was raised and lived, both as an Assassin and his son.

Connor knew that Achilles wouldn't approve of Haytham, but he didn't care too much. He could handle the old man. He was most worried about how Aveline would react, but truthfully, he just wanted to hurry home to her.


	4. Part 3

Haytham sat at the table as though Aveline hadn't just tried to kill him. He had fixed himself a cup of the tea that she left on the stove, occupying the table again while Achilles stood not too far from him, keeping him under tight surveillance. Connor didn't say anything to either man as he came back inside with Aveline. He felt better about facing his father after his confession to her.

When the two stood in the doorway of the kitchen, Haytham looked over to them, a ghost of a smile toyed with his lips before he looked away, focusing on his tea. Connor ignored it, but Aveline sneered at the Templar, still upset.

She stepped forward, coming to Haytham's side. "Were you telling the truth about not knowing the Company Man?"

Haytham didn't even look up at her, resuming sipping his tea with his eyes closed. "Not the best the tea I've ever had, but a good attempt. My compliments, Aveline. Not many people can make a fine cup of tea, especially quality English tea."

"Monsieur Haytham..." Her voice was calm but under laced with impatience.

"I am the Grand Master of the North, not the South. I haven't had contact with the South since coming to New York. I've had my hands quite full." He looked at her then, but there was no telling if his words were honest or not.

She sighed and inclined her head, turning and leaving the room. Connor caught her arm as she started past him. "Aveline..."

She cut him off with a sad smile and patted his hand on her arm. "Some things I have to find out on my own, I suppose."

Connor frowned at her words but released her, watching as she ascended up the stairs, probably headed to the room she'd been staying in since she came to stay. Stay... At least for a few more days. Maybe. He didn't know when she was going to leave, and it sort of did something to him. Fear? Disappointment?

"Connor." Haytham said his son's name, gaining his attention. "I figure it's time we go. We have much to do. Come along." Haytham turned and smiled at Achilles, who only glared at the Templar. "Your hospitality leaves much to the imagination." Achilles took a step forward but Haytham dismissed him, facing Connor once again. "Follow me. We should get this done with before sunrise."

Haytham walked past Connor, heading straight out the door with so much as a look back to see if Connor was indeed following him. He closed it behind him with a rather loud bang.

Achilles sat down at the table, watching Connor then sighing.

Connor frowned. "I'll be off after I speak with Aveline. Take care, Achilles." The old man nodded, waving Connor off. As he walked away, Connor knew he'd need to apologize tenfold to Achilles but later. He had things to do.

With a heavy heart over the guilt he had towards Achilles and this mission he had with his father, Connor slowly walked up the stairs. He didn't want to force his problems onto Aveline since she was in a tough situation as well. Her faith was waning and, honestly, so was his. Probably not as much as hers since he always had his people, but who did she have? Her Mentor wasn't the best choice. Her mother gone, disappeared when she was a child. Her father remarried and he knew little of her stepmother.

Reaching her door, Connor stilled, taking a deep breath. He'd not add to her burden. Knocking softly then loudly when he got no reply, Connor opened the door softly. Aveline was awake and standing by the window, shoulder leaning against the frame, her arms crossed. She had removed her coats and shed her weapons, the items placed neatly on the dresser by the door. She didn't even look at Connor as he came into the room, lightly shutting the door behind him through habit.

"Aveline..." He didn't know what else to say besides her name. She looked so down, so uncertain, and he wanted—needed—to help her. But how?

"Aveline." Connor called her name again, softer as he approached her side, gazing out the window. He could see Haytham walking around a bit, looking at almost everything, probably trying to remember the scope of the land to better attack them. Connor looked away from his father not wanting to think about the man.

His eyes fell upon Aveline's face. She kept her eyes focused on whatever captivated her attention outside. But, it allowed him to see her, truly see her for the first time. Her eyes were a bit strange. When they first met and a few times afterwards, he could have sworn that her eyes were green. The sunlight or any light made them shine with a greenish glint, but now, he figured they were as brown as his.

Her nose and facial structure showed her mix heritage, European and African. Her skin looked soft, free of imperfections and darker than his skin tone, same for her hair color. Deep black, curly around the ends, wavy. She had removed her braids after coming into the room. A lock had drifted free from behind her ear, kissing the side of her eye.

"Connor. Connor?" He blinked, eyes focusing on hers. She had been looking at him for the past two minutes already, a bit embarrassed but the way he stared at her, like he was memorizing every part of her face.

"Yes?" She noticed that he didn't step back though he responded, eyes locked on hers.

"Shouldn't you be off with...your father?" He noticed that she had to force herself to speak civil of Haytham. Connor nodded.

"But I wanted to know how you're dong before I left. Are you alright?" His hand automatically came up to her face, stroking her cheek with his calloused fingers before brushing that strand out of her face. She smiled softly, remembering that was something her mother often did. Her eyes closed, and she nuzzled her cheek in his hand like she once did with her mother's. Connor's and hers were quite alike, worn and rough from work. It spoke a lot about their characters. Their positions in life.

"I'm fine, Connor. Merci... I'm more worried about you. I don't trust that man... your father. He is—" Connor placed a finger over her mouth, stopping her words since he knew that she would go on a tangent about his father being a Templar. He knew. He knew that he shouldn't trust Haytham, but he did. Just a tiny bit.

"I know, but I have questions. I need answers. Answers I know he can supply for me... that he couldn't for you." Absentmindedly, Connor gently ran his finger over Aveline's bottom lip, feeling the warmth of her breath and skin. She didn't pull away. Just stared up at him, waiting.

"Connor?" Her breath glided over his finger, cooling it as her lips accidently brushed against it. He felt a tug in his heart. He likened it to a string. Every time he was near Aveline, that string would get plucked, would vibrate throughout his body. When she was sad, it vibrated strongly, making it nearly possible to breathe from the pain he felt at seeing her that way.

Going along with his heart, what it wanted him to do the most, he leaned over slowly. Their lips grew closer until he could feel her breath gliding over his lips. Connor moved his fingers down to cusp her chin, lifting her head. Their eyes locked before their mouths did. Both their eyes closed at the touch of their lips.

The contact lasted a few seconds before Connor pulled away, but Aveline grabbed hold of his lapels, bringing him back down to her. Their lips touched again, longer this time. Connor framed his hands around her face while her hands smoothed up and down his chest.

They separated again. Both breathing a little raggedly. Connor stepped back this time. His hands slide down her face to her shoulders and arms before leaving her to drop down by his side. Aveline clutched her hands to her chest before letting them drop to her sides as well. They stared at one another for a few seconds, processing what just happened between them. What the kiss might have meant.

Aveline looked away for a moment then back to the Native. "Come back to me alive, mon cher."

Connor's lips parted a bit in surprise, but he nodded, taking the hint for him to leave. The door shut softly behind him, and Aveline returned to facing the window. She had to wait a bit before he was outside, apparently calling out for Haytham. The man appeared from behind a stable, carrying the reins of two horses.

As they mounted the horses, Connor looked back towards Aveline's window. She was staring at him. He stared back at her, ignoring Haytham's attempts to get his attention. He waited a few moments more and saw she moved a hand to the glass. Connor's lips lifted in a lopsided smile. He mouthed that he'd return before turning to Haytham.

They took off after Haytham pointed in the direction they'd be taking.

Aveline withdrew her hand off the cold glass, crossing her arms to hug herself. She trusted that Connor would return to her, but in what shape, she didn't trust Haytham. He could poison Connor, not just literally, but with his ideals. Then where would she end up? It felt as though she and Connor shared a connection, one that went beyond just their uncertainty with the Brotherhood, but something. Inside, she wanted that connection to flourish which meant having Connor return to her.

Shaking her head, she pushed back from the window. No. She didn't need to think about this at the moment. It would only confuse her more. Same as Connor, she needed answers. Now.

Aveline left her room in search of Achilles. Maybe he could supply knowledge that would ease her heart. Her mind. Not her body. Something told her only Connor could do that.


	5. Part 3 Side: Difficult End

It had taken nearly a month to get the supplies back from Church, and Haytham had been good to his word. He hadn't tried to stop Connor from retrieving the stolen supplies, not that the man was of much help.

Connor wondered how many times he rolled his eyes after whatever comment, or rather complaint, Haytham threw his way when they had to take to the sea to find Church. He knew that his father was just tagging along, so he could get to Church first, and quite possibly kill the man, but the time had not been a total disaster.

He had found it somewhat amusing the first time Connor had taken him to his ship, the Aquila. Haytham had actually stepped back a few feet to admire, or criticize, the vessel before nodding his head and getting aboard, telling Connor to hurry the hell up.

The same thing happened again when Connor was addressed as "Captain Kenway" by a few of his men. Though he had told them to just call him Connor, some felt it wasn't right to call their captain by just his first name. For the first time, he had wanted to ask his father about his personal life while he lived in England. He never really cared before, but after Haytham's comments about his steering, he figured the man knew something about ships. But from whom? Had his father taught him about ships and was that man a "Captain Kenway" as well?

Sadly, he had never gotten a chance to ask Haytham. After the death of Church and the retrieval of the missing supplies, they had parted ways. Well, more like Connor lost track of his father, but he was positive that they would meet again. It was like fate kept throwing them together nowadays as though it was trying to make up for his father's absence in his upbringing. It was a nice gesture if so, but a tad too late.

Connor pushed the thoughts about his father out of his head once the ship reached its destined port in New York. He quickly got off and talked with one of his men, setting off to rendezvous with Lafayette in a tunnel beneath the city. On his way, he wondered if Lafayette had any news about Lee's whereabouts and would not give him excuses like Washington had. He was running out of patience when it came to Lee, but people around him seemed to want to push him to his limit.

Now in the tunnel, Connor navigated to the rendezvous point, hearing voices as he grew closer. Lafayette's voice was unmistakable. Connor didn't like that they were talking about men liking thrones. For them, it was their nature, but for him, those with that kind of power were nothing but trouble.

As he approached, Lafayette caught sight of him, stopping the conversation he was having with the other man to greet Connor.

"Connor." Lafayette made a move to hug Connor, but he just stared at the Frenchmen then his hands, daring him to touch him without permission. Lafayette proved wise and retreated. He coughed a bit, shuffling from one foot to the other, obviously embarrassed by his actions but not sure why. "Um, this tunnel will take you into the military district."

"And the Admiral?" Connor questioned, passing the two men. He hadn't forgotten that the man was poised, waiting on his signal, to destroy the redcoat's military fort. The men assured him that they would be ready when he was, and Connor nodded again, walking off. He heard their voices whispering behind him like when he first came upon them. Call him paranoid, but he didn't trust the men. He didn't really trust anyone.

Continuing in the tunnel, Connor came to an opening above and climbed up. He climbed out of the well that the tunnel ended in, killing a redcoat that sat near him. This wasn't the time to get detected. He needed to be careful, and he knew it.

Opting for the rooftops to get a better advantage, Connor made quick work of the redcoats he spotted surveying the area around the signal tower. Once done with them, he made quick work of scaling the tower to light the fire. Almost immediately, he could hear the canons from the ship firing, blasting away chunks of the military buildings. The tower he stood on rumbled and threatened to collapse.

Remaining calm, Connor simply jumped off, safely landing in a cart of hay. Sometimes, he was really glad he was taught the Leap of Faith. However, the moment he jumped out of the cart, he was blasted sideways as a cannonball erupted through the building beside him. It knocked him clean onto his ass, disorienting him. Stone rained down on him as he stood, stumbling. His body weaved dangerously as he muttered to himself, knowing that he had to get inside the Fort. Connor went inside the first door he came to, trying his hardest to keep from injuring himself on the sparse furniture as he grew dizzier and more disoriented.

Connor made it further into the Fort, but accidentally crashed through a window as another wave of canons rumbled the very ground he stood on. As he laid on the ground, glass cutting into his arms and legs through his armor, he knew that he was in no condition to protect himself. Everything was still blurry and spinning.

Connor stumbled a few more feet but stopped to rest against a barrel. He caught his breath and slowly felt better as his dizziness wore off. Once it did, he remembered that he hadn't seen Lee in the Fort. "Where are you, Charles Lee?" Connor said mostly to himself, not expecting anyone to answer; thus, he was very surprised when someone did, and of course, it would have been Haytham of all people.

"Gone." Haytham simply stated, slowing as he neared Connor.

Surprised, Connor spun around, not fully recovered, and Haytham advanced on him. He struck Connor in the face then the chest. As Connor doubled over, Haytham brought him down to the ground with an elbow blow to the back. Grunting, Connor quickly countered, hitting Haytham where he knew it would hurt the most. Right in the balls.

Sure enough, Haytham stumbled away, holding himself which meant he wasn't protecting his face. Connor landed a blow across his father's face, swinging his arm back for another only to get blocked. He was surprised that Haytham had recovered so quickly. They kept landing and blocking blows to each other, seemingly evenly matched until Connor grabbed Haytham's arm and twisted him around.

Haytham chuckled despite his situation. "Come now. You cannot hope to match me, Connor. For all your skills, you're still but a boy—with so much left to learn." He punctuated his sentence with an elbow jab to Connor's chest, pushing the Assassin away and down, but not before Connor could react by stabbing his father clean through the arm.

They separated while Connor quickly got to his knees. "Give me Lee!"

"Impossible. He is the promise of a better future. The sheep need a shepherd." Connor could hear the smirk in his father's voice despite the pain he must be in.

Connor tried to make his father see reason as he rose up on unsteady legs, but Haytham dismissed his claims, drawing his sword. Connor wanted to yell at his father, at the world in general, but he knew how futile that it would be. Plus, it might just get him killed, and there was no way he was going to die before Lee did.

Seeing his father draw his sword, Connor swallowed. He knew that this wouldn't end until one of them was dead. This battle meant everything. It was about Assassin and Templar. Father and Son. Freedom and Obedience.

Clenching his teeth, Connor waited for his father to strike, knowing that his legs weren't yet ready to move swiftly. Seconds passed before Haytham moved in on Connor, raising his sword against his own child, determined to kill him. They countered and attacked, matched till the very end. A few times Connor thought he had overwhelmed the old man but was quickly driven back. This happened a few times, until Connor got annoyed at Haytham's banter, telling him that the Templar Order wasn't wrong. That it was righteous. Connor didn't want to hear it. He started pushing and knocking his father into nearby objects, slowing him down.

It paid off when he knocked his father down with a quick counter move, pulling in too close that Haytham caught him off guard as well. Crawling toward his father before the man could get up, Connor tried to offer him one last chance. "Surrender and I will spare you."

"Brave words for a man about to die." Haytham replied, scooting away from Connor before moving to pin his son to the ground.

"You fare no better," Connor spat, struggling under Haytham's hold over his arm and neck.

Haytham gritted his teeth, equally annoyed at his son for not seeing reason behind the true meaning of the Templars. He didn't want his son dying without knowing how foolish he had been to join the Assassin Brotherhood.

"Even when your kind appears to triumph... Still we rise again, and do you know why, Connor? It is because the Order is born of a realization. We require no creed. No indoctrination by desperate old men. All we need is that the world be as it is. And this is why the Templars will never be destroyed!" Connor sneered at his father's condescending and hate filled tone as he spoke about the Brotherhood. In his little speech, Haytham had failed to realize that he had loosened his grip on Connor's arm.

After his father finished speaking, intent on finishing him off as well, Connor reacted quickly. His blade triggered and sliced into Haytham's neck. Blood flowed down Connor's hand and fingers, soaking into his gloves and sleeve. Haytham gave a grunt, born half of surprise and half of pain.

They stared at each other a moment, neither breathing, until Haytham released Connor to grab a hold of his neck, stumbling backwards, eyes still on his son.

Haytham stumbled backwards, straightening up. He pulled his hand away and saw that it was covered in his own blood. Placing his hand over the wound again, Haytham looked down at Connor and let out a harsh, short chuckle. "Don't think I have any intention of caressing your cheek and saying I was wrong. I will not weep and wonder what might have been. I'm sure you understand."

Connor shook his head at his father's pride while he stood up. Haytham slowly fell to his knees, wobbling as he tried to maintain consciousness. "Still... I'm proud of you in a way." Another short chuckle, softer this time. "You have shown great conviction. Strength. Courage. All noble qualities." He looked up at Connor as his son came closer, hovering above him. "I should have killed you long ago."

With those last words, Connor watched as his father's body fell lifeless to the ground. He hesitated for a second before turning on his heel, telling his father goodbye in his native tongue. Though he was tempted to look back, to gaze upon his father one last time, he didn't. He kept his head held high as he walked away from Haytham's corpse.

All he wanted to do now was get back home. Back to Aveline. He'd deal with Lee another day. He'd also deal with the emptiness that he felt in his heart. Connor couldn't understand why he felt such sadness for his father, whether because he killed him or because of what could have been between them.

When he cleared the Fort, he stopped a moment, clenching his hands. Why did things have to end up this way between them? Why had everything gone so wrong? Connor looked up into the sky but didn't find the answers he was looking for there.

Squaring his shoulders, he decided to take his father's own advice. He wouldn't weep. He wouldn't wonder what might have been. Everything that had happened was said and done.

Turning back, Connor looked towards the direction he knew his father's body laid. "I should have killed you a long time ago as well, Father... but we both know why we couldn't."

With that, Connor turned and walked away.


	6. Part 4

Aveline paced back and forth at the entrance of Achilles' home, stopping every time someone came up the hill leading into town. When it wasn't Connor, she would look away annoyed, then resume her pacing. She had been pacing for nearly three hours.

Some men had come back from New York a few hours ago. They'd been there to sell products and find work. When they returned, they came straight to Achilles' house, telling her and him about news of Haytham's death. She had relished in the news until Achilles' asked after Connor. The men had no news to report. They hadn't seen nor heard talk about the Native Assassin since Haytham's death.

After the men left, Aveline asked Achilles why he asked about Connor. Did the old man think that Haytham had killed Connor before dying himself, or that whoever killed Haytham had Connor on the run, or worst, captured? But the old man just sighed heavily before looking at her, not saying a word. Then it had become clear to her.

Connor killed Haytham. Something led Connor to kill his own father, and knowing Connor, he was probably stricken with a grief so heavy... who knew what he would do. She just hoped that he would come back to her. She could help him, or at least, try her best.

The chatter of rising voices brought Aveline's head up, facing toward the town's entrance. A few men had come out of their houses, watching whoever it was walking up the path. Aveline frowned and hurried off the porch to the crowd. Someone was talking in the middle of the group, asking another where he had been.

Annoyed already, Aveline pushed her way through the crowd, reaching the center. As she opened her mouth to speak, her eyes adjusted on Connor's face. Her mouth just hung open. She realized that she wasn't prepared to see him again. She wasn't prepared for the strong emotions sweeping through her body just at the sight of him

Connor glanced around at the faces of his town members gathering around him before his eyes settled on Aveline's face after she bullied her way to his side. He smiled, not being able to stop it. "Aveline."

"Connor... I—" she was cut off by the men, talking all at once to Connor, taking his attention away from her. Someone accidentally pushed her aside as they crowded around Connor. They asked him countless questions about what had happened in New York while he was away. Though she wanted to hear it too, she couldn't hear over the men's chatter.

Pulling away from the crowd, Aveline stood off to the side. It seemed like half an hour went by before Connor pulled away from the crowd, and the men dispersed. He saw her and walked over to her, stopping before her. At first, she didn't want to look up at him, a bit upset by him not picking her over the men.

"Aveline... what's wrong?" He placed his hands on her shoulders, sensing her tension and mild anger, but they soon evaporated as he pulled her into his arms. She breathed slowly, stilling in his arms a moment before hugging him back. She couldn't believe that he was back.

"Connor. What took you so long?" she mumbled the words into his chest, inhaling his scent.

"Let's not talk out here." Connor held her a moment longer then released her and took her hand as he walked toward their home. It only took them a few moments to get inside. "Where's Achilles?" Connor released her hand and walked toward the kitchen, seeking out his Mentor, but the man was nowhere in sight.

"He's out. I think he went into town. I heard him saying that he had a meeting with a few buyers. But, that could have been days ago, I don't quite...remember. Everything is a blur. I heard you were coming back... and I..." Connor smiled back at her and her rambling.

"It's fine. Let's talk in the study." Once again he took her hand. His fingers caressed hers as he led her away to the study down the hall. When they were both inside, Connor shut and locked the door.

Aveline studied Connor as he walked around the table and ran his fingers over the papers over on the desk, skimming his eyes over the words and documents. To her, it seemed like he was stalling. Actually, there seemed to be something really off about him. He was more affectionate-holding her hands and hugging her-than she'd ever seen him. Narrowing her eyes, she watched him closer. Connor's complexion looked off, paler than usual. There were bags under his eyes like he hadn't slept in weeks rather than days. Though he seemed like he was happy, but she could tell that it was just a front.

"Connor, what happened between you and your father?" she asked it softly, not probing him intensely like the men had.

"So, you've heard about that? About his death?" She nodded, and he sighed. His shoulders sank like the weight of the world was getting too much for him. He sat down in the chair heavily and closed his eyes.

"My father is dead. I... I killed him."

Aveline's heart broke for him, not for Haytham, but for Connor. He had to kill his own father. She had no idea what that must have felt like; how he had to deal with that alone.

"Connor. It's alright if you don't want to talk about it," she said then walked over to his side, placing a hand on his cheek while studying his face. He looked much older as stress and pain presided over his facial features.

She lifted his chin up to make him face her, but he didn't open his eyes, sighing instead. "Connor, mon cher. I'm sure you had to do what you did. Your father is a Templar after all. I'm sorry you had to be the one to do it, but maybe... that's the way it was meant to be."

"Aveline. I killed my father! I did it. I mean, he attacked me, but I killed him, using my own blade. I didn't...want it to end like that..." Connor had stood up. The anger at himself and at his father rolling off him in waves, causing Aveline to take a few steps back. Anger wasn't the only emotion though. Regret, sadness, disappointment, and confusion rolled off him as well. His hands clenched at his sides, face turned away from her. She couldn't tell, but it felt as though he was crying. To her, he seemed like a lost little boy, crying out for his father's love, but his father was gone. Done in by his own hands.

Hesitating a moment, Aveline pulled Connor into her embrace and hugged him tightly. He didn't respond instantly, but gradually she could feel his shoulders slump and the tension ease from him as he hugged her back, burying his face in her neck. Not really knowing how to soothe him, Aveline hummed a French lullaby her mother used to sing to her when she was sick or feeling sad when the other kids teased her about her mix heritage. It seemed to work on Connor as much as it had on her.

Their embrace lasted for a good ten minutes before the atmosphere around Connor changed. Aveline could sense that something in him had changed, but before she could ask about it, Connor had pulled her closer, burying his mouth against her neck. A shiver shot up her spine; her heart pounding even faster within her chest.

Skimming his mouth against her neck, Connor pressed soft kisses up and down her neck while breathing in her scent. He'd been away from her for so long, but he had still remembered her scent. The feel of her lips from that time that they kissed in her room. Her lips had been soft and willing. His body shuddered at the memory.

"Connor?" Aveline's hands smoothed up and down his back; her face questioning him gently once he pulled back to look at her.

Her eyes glowed green from the dull light of the candles surrounding them. "Aveline," he sighed her name then leaned over, capturing her lips quickly. She responded back the moment their lips met, pulling a moan from him. Their kiss deepened more than it had the first time they kissed. Both seemed to need more, but they kept the kiss moderate and passionate. When Aveline pulled away to take a necessary breath, Connor nipped down her jaw-line. She clutched onto his biceps while leaning her head back and moaning softly.

Aveline opened her mouth, but Connor must have sensed her need. He picked her up, placing her against the bookcase behind them, and she wrapped her legs around his waist. Their lips locked while their hands started to explore, roam over one another's body. Connor moaned against Aveline's lips, tongue slipping into her mouth where it dueled with hers. His hands didn't stop feeling up her sides, skimming up the light shirt she wore. She made no move to stop him. Instead her hands were equally gripping and starting to remove his clothes.

It made him smile, and he drew back to finally take her shirt off. Her skin gleamed gold in the light once her shirt was removed, showing that she wore a thin undershirt, held tight against her breasts. Connor moaned louder, hands settling on her hips to pull her closer.

Soon his shirt was off as well. They pressed their chests together, lips locked again.

Aveline felt so alive. She'd kissed other men before but none made her feel it deep within her core like Connor did. It seemed so right, but she needed more. Her body was craving him, and since that first kiss back in her room, she had dreamt about this day for a while.

"Aveline... I—" Connor drew back again. This time he needed to breathe, but before he could ask her his question, a knock came on the door. Both straightened up, surprised. Aveline was the first to recover, giggling a bit and pushing against Connor's chest. He backed away reluctantly, turning around to pull his shirt back on, which had ended up on top of the desk. Aveline did the same, fixing her hair in the process. She hadn't noticed that Connor had pulled it free of the tie it was in before.

Once they were presentable, Connor walked over to the door, unlocking it and pulling it open. Achilles stood straighter. His eyes darted from Connor to Aveline. If he thought anything happened between them, then he didn't let on; he just cleared his throat and came into the room.

"Achilles, I must speak with you too," Connor stated, but Achilles waved him away and handed over an envelope to Aveline that neither had seen him carrying.

"What is this?" She questioned. Her eyes scanned the envelope which only had her name on it.

"I got it from a man while I was in New York. It's from Agate. I was to relay the message that you are needed back home. It's urgent. That'll all the man told me."

A chill shot up her spine again, but it wasn't like before. She was afraid of what the letter contained and too afraid to look at Connor, but she ripped open the envelope.

Whatever was on the letter, Connor could tell that it wasn't good news. Aveline had paled, her shoulders slumped. The letter was crumbled in her hands as she shot up, racing past Connor and Achilles, up the stairs. Connor looked at Achilles, but he just shook his head. Soon Connor was running after Aveline.

She had already flung on her coats and was preparing her weapons when he came into the room.

"Aveline, what did the letter say? What's wrong?" She didn't answer him and continued preparing to go. She wouldn't even look at him.

"Aveline! Talk to me..." He walked over to her, grabbing her arm. She stilled, and her body stiffened. It took her a moment to turn and look at him, and when she did, her eyes were cold and determined.

"I'm sorry, Connor. My duty calls me. My home calls me, and I must be there for them. I'm so sorry, but I must leave. This very instant." She stepped from his grasp and headed toward the door, rushing down the stairs.

Pain and confusion marred Connor's face as he raced after her, catching up with her when she made it to the door. "Aveline, please. Hold on. I can help you. Let me help you."

Aveline shook her head. "I must do this alone, Connor. Don't get in my way." She gave him one last look before slipping out the door. It closed with a soft thud, but to Connor, it hurt worse than getting shot in the heart by an arrow. Whatever had been in that letter, whatever Agate wanted from her, it had to be something serious, and he wasn't going to leave it to Aveline alone.

"Achilles!" Connor shouted, storming into the study to ask more about the man he met while in town. He was going to find out what happened.


	7. Part 5

Aveline had been gone for a few months, and every day without her being near him was taking its toll on Connor.

In the beginning, the days following her departure back to New Orleans because of an issue dealing with Agate and the Company Man, he had been in a stupor. Though there had been pressing matters for him to attend to, he had neglected nearly all of them. The ones he didn't, he delegated to a few members of the Homestead or asked Achilles to appear in his absence.

Connor didn't really know what to do after Aveline had left. He knew that she would have had to return to New Orleans eventually, but still, he had hoped that she wouldn't be needed. Their relationship, if he could call it that, seemed promising, but now it was nothing. She hadn't sent him a letter or any indication that she was even alive in weeks. The first two letters they had received from her were about her safe arrival back to her home and some information about Templar movements from the South into the North.

He hoped that she would mention missing him as much as he missed her, but she hadn't.

Even now, it was hard for him to go into the study. Whenever he was in the room, his mind would dredge up the memory of Aveline pressed against him. Every little detail of that night, of their passion came into vivid detail, and it all pained him.

Shortly after her letters stopped coming, Connor had thrown himself into his duties. First, it started out as simple chores around the Homestead such as fixing up leaky roofs, constructing stables, and the likes. Then he got word about Lee's movements. The pursuit of the man had been enough distraction from his yearning for Aveline for a couple of months, but when he lost tract of the man, he spiraled right back into his lovesick ways.

Sighing, Connor straightened and went about stretching his muscles out. He had been asked by one of the farmers' wife to help patch up a chicken coop. It had turned out to be more than he bargained for. The wood had rotted in a few places, making the entire structure unstable. Basically, he had to reconstruct the entire thing, but it had been good work. Kept his mind clear for a few more days.

Groaning a bit as he leaned back to ease the kinks out of his back, Connor looked up into the clear sky, wiping sweat from his brow. The hens clucked around him, some pecking at his pants or the ground beneath him, begging for food. The greedy little things.

Connor smiled and bent over, getting out the rest of the kinks in his sides and back and packing up his tools. He didn't have seed for them today.

"Sorry, ladies. I'm done with your home, and now I must be getting back to mine." As he walked from the hens, the kicked up a protest and followed. He had to jump the fence to keep them within their confines. A laugh caught him off guard, and as he turned, he saw Achilles coming his way.

"Is this what you've been doing with your spare time, boy? Playing with chickens?" Achilles chuckled again before pulling Connor into a quick hug. He was glad that Connor had decided to get back into doing work rather than wonder around the house like a lost puppy, but he missed the kid. They hadn't shared much leisure time together since Aveline left.

"Just finished that coop over there. Rotted wood. Had to redo the entire thing." He indicated the structure with a tilt of his head. He watched Achilles eye is work and smiled when the old man gave a grunt of approval.

"Do you need something?" Connor asked, realizing that Achilles only ever actively searched for him when something required his immediate response.

Achilles stood before the Native and studied his face before sighing. His shoulders slumped and his face fell, making him out to be older than he actually was. "I had hoped that when the news came it would be something happier."

Connor perked up, already frowning. Various thoughts raced through his head. All of them horrible. "Does it have anything to do with Washington? Lee? My tribe?" He swallowed down the lump in his throat. "Aveline?"

Achilles had shook his head at the first three names before looking at him with utter sorrow and a hint of distain at the mention of Aveline's name. Connor stepped and turned away from Achilles, hand flying to streak through his hair before rubbing down his face. Emotions he had been determined to bury surfaced.

"...what happened to her?" His voice came out more stricken than me meant to reveal. He had to clear his throat a few times, steeling himself mentally and physically for whatever Achilles might say.

"She... I have received news from a few reliable acquaintances that— " Achilles sighed deeply. "Aveline has joined with the Templars."

Confusion and relief equally ebbed from Connor through a deep exhale that left him slightly dizzy. Aveline, a Templar? He spun on his heel to face Achilles. "Are you believed this? You know firsthand how much she hates Templars! What would she join them? She about killed my father before I got to it." The mention of Haytham brought up more emotions that Connor didn't want to deal with at the moment.

"I know. Do you not think that I wouldn't have researched this myself? I've sent out some very trustworthy men of my own to Louisiana to access the situations. They've been sending me word about her actions. It is official. She has joined the Templars. She is working with the very person she came here to find out about. Do you not think that this news tears me up inside? I know better than you what she has been through. But the fact remains the same. She is now a threat to us. She is our enemy just like any other Templar agent. I wish it wasn't true, but it is." Achilles nearly shouted at Connor but reigned in his temper. He was just as bewildered at the outcome as Connor.

Connor shook his head. "No, you intel is wrong. Aveline wouldn't do that. She hates the Templars... yes, she had her doubts and concerns about the Brotherhood, but... this is ridiculous. I refuse to believe this until I've seen it with my own eyes."

With that, Connor took off, heading in the direction of Achilles' home with Achilles on his heel.

"Connor!" Achilles' tone told him to stop, but Connor ignored it, storming into the house and replacing the thin, sweat soaked shirt he wore for a fresher one and then his coats. He had nearly finished stuffing a few essential items into a sack before Achilles came busting into the room.

"Where do you think you're going? Do you honestly think you should be going to New Orleans? Boy, the people there are no different, even worse, than the people here. Look how they treat my people. What do you think they'll do to you, a Native?"

Connor's jaw clenched, but he didn't respond. He just shoveled past Achilles and down the stairs. Once again, Achilles followed him as they made their way into the kitchen. He continued to try and reason with Connor as the younger filled up his sack with assorted snacks and tools.

The one sided argument continued as they got outside where Connor strapped down his sack to the first horse he came to. Seeing that his words weren't being heeded, Achilles sighed again.

"Alright. Go. Go to New Orleans. I hope what you find there is what you were expecting."

Connor nodded to him, setting off in a flash. Achilles followed again, shouting, "I expect you both back alive!" He caught the flash of a smile cross Connor's lips before the man disappeared out of his sight. Achilles turned on his heels and headed back indoors. He wasn't going to sit on the sidelines.

Aveline sat beside the window in her new room, gazing out at the people idling walking by in the street below. It was still early, nearly noon. She had been up for a while, unable to sleep. Though she had been living in the room for a little more than a month, it still didn't feel like home to her.

Madeline had told her to take the day off since she wouldn't be needed for whatever business the other woman had left to attend to. Though, she had protested, wanting to have as much insight into the Order as she could, Madeline had been stubborn.

Now she was forced to house sit while the woman was away. There wasn't even much for her to do. Though she had joined the Order months ago, Madeline had shown her little about it, just stating that the Templars were a noble and almighty service bestowed upon mankind for their own good and that Aveline would need time to purge herself of her Assassin roots.

It seemed Madeline's idea of purging was leaving her to herself, forbidding her from leaving the house, and occasionally making her attend parties to collect intel and become acquainted with other agents. Her stepmother had been ecstatic when Aveline had decided to throw away her foolish devotion to the Brotherhood to join the Templar Order.

Aveline didn't share in her sentiment. She was still confused about the workings of both organizations. The Templars had corrupted her life, taken away her mother and her mentor, Agate, but the Brotherhood hadn't been all that great either. She'd seen many comrades done away with because their "inability" to follow the Creed. She was the ugly of both worlds, but some of the good as well.

It was nice to see Madeline and her father again, even if Madeline was the Company Man, the person she sought to kill all those months ago. The Brotherhood wasn't a complete waste either. She grew stronger than she thought possible under her mentor's guidance and the friendships she forged while being an Assassin. Plus, there was Connor.

She sighed, resting her forehead against the window glass and fogging up the clear view of the streets below. Whenever she had any amount of time alone to herself, she would often find herself thinking of Connor. Not a day would pass when she missed his embrace. It had been hard to stay this long away from him, knowing what could happen between them and knowing that she wanted that intimacy with him.

Aveline never let on to anyone about what happened back at Achilles' Homestead. She just stated that she had gotten caught up in the tiff between the redcoats and Washington's men. No one questioned her over it since it was common knowledge about Washington's revolution. People talked about it frequently at the events that she had been forced to go to.

A knock sounded at her door, drawing her attention to the fragile African woman, named Marie Louise, who she had befriended the moment she was brought to the house.

"Miss Aveline, Madame Madeline has requested you join her for brunch." Marie Louise walked over to her side, looking out the window to see what Aveline had been looking at. It had taken the better part of a month to the woman to stop addressing her formally. Aveline never treated anyone, slave or not, as nothing less than an equal.

"She still makes you call her 'Madame'?" Aveline lightly chuckled. Madeline didn't care about slavery, but she did adhere to social standards.

"It's not so bad. Now, hurry along. I don't want to have extra chores because I got you dressed and ready late. Come along." Marie Louise turned and headed towards the closet full of the pretty and expensive custom dresses that Madeline had bought Aveline. A lady was suppose to look her best at all times after all according to Madeline.

Aveline frowned at what Marie Louise said. She hated that she couldn't do anything about the predicament her friend was in, but she wouldn't worsen it. Following the woman, Aveline got ready for another party she knew she'd hate.

Once ready, Aveline stood in front of a mirror with Marie Louise behind her. The other woman stopped fussing over the bow on top of Aveline's hat and stepped back, beaming. "Miss Aveline. You're a doll. All the guys are going to be asking you to dance tonight." She laughed and Aveline gave her a small smile.

"I'm not interested in the men here, Marie. The only one I want is miles away, and I fear we'll never meet again."

Marie Louise looked at her in surprise. "And who would this young man be? I must know." The woman beamed at the news, sprouting off all types of questions about the mystery man in Aveline's life. Aveline waved them off, heading out the room with the woman following behind her.

"Enough, Marie. I don't want to talk about."

"Alright, Miss Aveline. I'll bring it up later." Aveline turned a playful glare to Marie Louise, but the woman made a beeline for the kitchen after they made it to the parlor. Madeline was waiting for Aveline and stood upon the entrance of her stepdaughter.

"Well, aren't you a knock out. The men won't know what to do with themselves when they see you." She giggled, and Aveline faked a smile.

"I hear we are going to brunch?" She didn't want to delay this more than necessary.

Madeline nodded before coming closer to Aveline. "Yes, but before that, we have more pressing matters. I think it's time for your first assignment." Madeline smiled like it was something that Aveline should openly jump for joy over.

"I am honored you think I'm ready."

"You are my kin. I've always known you were skilled, but nothing so far has been worthy of your skill. Till now of course. But, we'll discuss this more later. Come along. Our carriage and your future husband awaits you're arrival." Madeline giggled again as they left.

Aveline just sighed and followed her stepmother out the door, absentmindedly rubbing the fabric of her right arm which covered her hidden blade. The emblem engraved on it reminded her of Connor.

Her future husband, hmm?


	8. Part 6

Connor stooped down to put a few silver coins in the hat of a street musician. The man was strumming along on his homemade guitar. Apparently, it wasn't very uncommon for people like the man to hang around the city, either begging for coins or work. Connor had seen people like the beggar more and more as he advanced further south. It was much too cold in the north to be hanging around outside doing nothing, but here it was cooler, warmer than anything he had ever felt.

It had been a couple of months since he left Massachusetts, but he wasn't in New Orleans yet. There had been a few times when he had gotten lost, purely from the fact that the territory wasn't familiar to him. At times, he had to stop because his horse had just given out. Twice he had to exchange out equines because of the sheer miles they had to take was too much on the animal. But, three horses later, he had arrived in Mississippi. There was still a few miles separating him from Aveline, and even then, he would need to locate her and secretly meet with her to figure out the entire mess about her being a Templar. He still wasn't even sure what he'd say when he did find her. It seemed liked years since he last met her.

Looking around before crouching down to the musician's level, he kept his voice low and his hood up. "I seek assistance to New Orleans."

The man looked at him then looked away, closing his eyes and continued to strum his crudely made wooden guitar. "Why ask me?"

"I've received word from my mentor that there would be a beggar with a wooden guitar in Mississippi who could help me. Are you not that man?"

"And what is this man's -your mentor's- name?" The man opened one eye and cocked his eyebrow in curiosity.

"Achilles Davenport. Master Assassin of the North." The moment he said Achilles' name, the man missed a note on his guitar; his finger slipped. Besides that missed beat, he continued on strumming.

"Ah. Achilles. I own that man my life. If he sent you, then you are a friend of mine. I shall help you with whatever you need, my boy." The man smiled, and Connor did as well. "But we cannot speak here so freely on the street. The walls have ears."

Nodding, Connor helped the man clean up his little area before following him into the alleyway.

Aveline stood up in front of Madeline, bending over lightly to peck her stepmother on the cheek. She excused herself from the sitting area, much to the displeasure of the men in their company. The bunch was a mixture of English gentlemen and French seamen. Madeline had dragged her out to have lunch with the men and had been absolutely fascinated by their stories, which Aveline thought were grossly exaggerated and boorish. She had missed just sitting around with Achilles and hearing him tell stories about his early days as an Assassin. Connor would join them at times and would blush whenever Achilles told about his blunders as he trained to be an Assassin. That was fun to her. These tales about the high seas and academic follies were not.

Months had passed, and she had only been the boring side of being a Templar. There were moments when she had been given assignments, but she was only entrusted with passing along minor information to other members during parties. It seemed that Madeline was responsible for keeping her in the shadows, either because she didn't trust her enough or because she believed that women were to stay on the sidelines and never truly get their hands dirtied.

Now alone in her room of their mansion, Aveline sighed and quickly stripped out of the restraining dress. She used to like wearing them, but now that it was mostly all she wore, she hated it.

Moving to her closet and taking down a box which bore the initials of a fancy dress shop from France, Aveline pulled out her old Assassin's gear. The box was the best place to put them since she had plenty of similar boxes. Marie Louise never touched the boxes and Madeline had always brought her new dresses, stating a woman shouldn't be seen in the same dress twice; a waste in Aveline's eyes. Her Assassin coat and arms were the only things she ever felt comfortable in.

Dressed like she used to be when she was with Connor and Achilles, Aveline stretched. She couldn't stand being in the house for another moment. Making sure to lock her door and keeping the key on her person, Aveline headed to the window.

Connor traveled with the man on horseback. They went to a small dirty house to allow the man to put his items away before departing again. Now, they were heading toward some carriages near the Mississippi-Louisiana border. Connor had been advised to keep his hood down and to talk in as few words as possible. There weren't many people who favored Natives, and Connor remembered the warning Achilles had given him all those months ago.

"Alright. When we get to the carriages, you should ask for Mathias. He's got the fastest horses. Will get you to New Orleans in no time. That is where you are going?"

"Yes. Thank you."

Ahead of him, the man whom never told Connor his name nodded. It was still light out, but that was soon draining. Apparently, he had been lucky enough to make it into the city before the carriages departed on schedule.

They reached the carriage station in almost no time. Connor handed over his horse to the man as they made it to Mathias. Of course, Connor would have to go as a stow away with the man. They couldn't risk him being caught and sent to the guards. Before he settled in his spot under the man's cart, wedged between some unidentified objects, Connor turned to the man.

"How long will it take me to get to New Orleans?"

The man and Mathias smiled. "Oh. You've never ridden down here have you, boy? Won't take you more than an hour or so. Depends on any troubles he may have or not. God be with you."

"Wait— " A horn blew loud enough to burst his eardrums and drowned out his last words, signalling they should departure. The man helped him get into position.

The cart jerked awake and away, causing Connor to bump into the objects surrounding him. He still couldn't see where they were, but he shifted into a safe spot between the cart and the ground where he was confident he wouldn't get knocked by flying debris. The noise of the horses was annoying, and the ride was bumpy from gravel and uneven terrain. He had no sense of time while stowed away in his lonely place. The ride seemed like it would never end and his ass and legs hurt from keeping to one place for far too long, and the bumpy ride didn't allow him any reprieve when he could shift into a more comfortable position.

Finally, he could feel the cart slowing as it must have reached its destination in New Orleans. Another horn blew louder and louder before stopping as gradually as the cart did. Connor gave a sigh of relief and was thankful to have survived the ordeal. He knew he wouldn't get on another cart like he had if he could prevent it.

Waiting for people to leave the area, Connor dropped down after maneuvering his body free and fled across the station, not stopping until he was blocks from the building. He allowed himself a small rest up against a building that smelled distinctively of sugar before pushing off and fixing his hood.

Aveline scurried across the buildings, avoiding the guards at the top as she crossed from place to place. There wasn't really a destination that she had in mind, and she had been wondering around the building tops to get as far from her home-or what used to be her home- as possible.

Dropping down onto a platform before a guard turned around to her left, Aveline scaled down onto the main street. She stayed to the already darkened alleyways to keep from being spotted by anyone she may have made acquaintance with from her stepmother's parties. That mistake had happened once, but a promise to dance with the fellow had cleared it right up and kept it from Madeline's ears. Aveline quickly moved around to the front of the building and advanced toward another building, a place where she knew of men who didn't care if you were redcoat, bluecoat, Assassin, or Templar. It was a sanctuary of a sort, but before she could slip inside, a hooded figure to her left, a few meters away, caught her attention. Something inside her screamed. Her heart pounded harder in her chest. Yet as she turned she missed it among the crowd.

"Hmm." A man pushed past her and entered the building, taking away her attention. She sneered after him then looked back. The figure was gone, yet something inside her told her to follow it. So, she did without a second thought.

Connor wasn't sure where he was headed just yet. While they retrieved their horses, the man told him to head to a bar where he could get information about anything if he had the right price. Connor had asked what that right price was, but the man hadn't elaborated.

Skirting around a group of loud men and women, obviously already drunk though it was early in the night, Connor accidentally bumped into one of the women. She made a dramatic show of pitching forward and almost falling before one of the gentlemen caught her.

Connor said sorry, but the other man caught his arm, stalling him. "Hey. Did you just hit this lady? What kind of a brute are you? Do you know who she is?" He allowed his voice to grow louder and louder, slurring his words. People around them stopped and muttered around them. Connor tilted his head down lower and stated he was sorry to the man and then to the woman, jerking his arm away as gently as he could. The man didn't seem to care how many times he said it though.

"No. No. You should watch where you're going. If you didn't have that damn hood on, then you could see better." The guy made a swipe at Connor's hood, but he backed up. The man hit air.

It seemed to infuriate him more. "Stay still." The guy did it again and caught Connor's hood, yanking it down and off, and tearing it a bit in the process. The young lad laughed then stopped as he got a good look at Connor's hair and face. "Hey. We've got ourselves one of those-what do you call them?"

"Savages," the guy's friend supplies with a dirty look at Connor.

"Oui! Savages! Never thought I'd see one in my life, and he had the nerve to hit Katharine." By this time, the crowd had grown larger, and the mutters increased to slurs about him, some very disgusted by him.

"I'm sorry... sir." Connor tried to push through the crowd while putting on his hood, but no one budged.

"No. Get on your knees and tell her you're sorry." The man stood in front of him, arms at his hips and smirking widely.

Annoyed, Connor faced the man and saw that guards were making their way to him. He made like he was going to honor the man's request but instead, swept the man's legs from under him. As the fellow sprawled out on the ground, Connor snagged his purse and took off. People scattered then, not wanting to touch him. The guards shouted after him.

Aveline reached the area where a huge crowd had formed. She couldn't see from the back where she was and dared not to stray any closer until what seemed like all hell broke loose. Someone went down in the middle, and then she saw the hooded fellow break away from the crowd, followed by some alerted guards. Could the hooded man be an Assassin? The thought thrilled and terrified her. Why was he here?

Scaling back up the side of a nearby wall, Aveline took off after the chase. She had lost sight of the hooded man, but the guards hadn't as he collected more and more of their attention. Shouts and screams from pedestrians kept her on the right path. Jumping to another building and barely making it, Aveline pulled herself up. The chase continued for another block before she could hear the guards shouting for the man to come out. She exhaled a breath she didn't know she had held.

It seemed like the Assassin had gotten away, but she was wrong. A woman screamed out his whereabouts and the chase began again. Luckily, Aveline had ventured ahead of the pack, and as she jumped toward another ledge to get down, a large mass dropped down in her way in the same instance. They collided and landed hard on the wooden structure. Their combined weight and forced broke the structure, sending them both crashing to the ground.

Aveline had the wind knocked out of her, but she scrambled up, drawing her blade. The man had done the same. His hood torn in another place but not revealing his face.

He grunted as he stood from the impact he had with whoever it was who had been leaping to his landing. Thinking it was another guard, Connor stood up and triggered his blade, facing the danger. Yet, when he looked at her, he lost his breathe. Before him was Aveline.

She stood ready to prance on him, going in for the kill. She looked the same, as though she hadn't left him.

"Aveline," he breathed.

Aveline took a startled step back. The man knew her name. Clenching her teeth, she regained her stance. "What do you want with me? Who are you?"

Connor reached up and removed his hood, taking a step toward her.

Once again, her breathe caught in her chest when she gazed upon Connor's face. "Connor... no, why are you here?" He opened his mouth to say something, but they both heard the shout of the guards still seeking him out, alerted by the noise of their fall.

"Not here. Follow." She spun on her heel and sped off, Connor right on her heel. They kept running, neither sure of what to say when they finally found a safe spot to stop. Aveline couldn't stop thinking about why Connor was here, and Connor couldn't keep his eyes off her. He hadn't expected to see her so soon and wasn't prepared. Plus, he worried about her new roles as a Templar. What would she say about that?

They kept running, emotions raging high in one another. Both painfully aware that whatever happened next would probably change their relationship forever.


	9. Part 7

Connor didn't care if they were still being followed by the guards or not. He hadn't heard anyone yelling or shouting for them to stop in a while, but his mind and eyes were trained on Aveline's form running ahead of him. He didn't dare look away in case she fled after bringing him to safety. Plus, he wasn't sure if he wasn't dreaming just yet.

Aveline bit her lip, glancing behind her. Yes, Connor was really following after her. She had really met him here in New Orleans. Connor was in New Orleans. The thought was just so surreal that she kept running, trying to outrun him and the thoughts of him. She had noticed that they were in a quiet part of town where even the guards didn't really come to. It was considered "poor" and not where "polite" company was kept, and only considered that by the rich who didn't want to face the problems of reality.

Knowing that she was stalling the inevitable, Aveline gestured behind her that they were almost there. Truth was, she hadn't thought of where they were really going to stop, but her feet had carried her off to familiar territory. Mary Louise's brother lived close by. He was privy to her old job as an Assassin and had allowed her to seek shelter at his place whenever she had been in trouble.

Connor followed Aveline into a shabby looking neighborhood, but he felt more at ease. He wasn't used to rich people, or being near a lot of people who thought they were better than someone else based solely off of the coloration of their skin or how much money they had.

Aveline slowed her pace, staying a few feet ahead of Connor and not looking back at him this time.

"I know a place close by. Emmanuel will put up with you." Her tone told Connor that she wasn't happy that he was here in New Orleans, all the more reason to sort out everything quickly.

Grabbing her arm gently, Connor advanced ahead of Aveline, leading her into a dimly lit alley way between two stores. He placed her in front of him, hands on either arm of hers, and though he wanted nothing more than to pull her close to him, he knew he shouldn't just yet.

"Aveline. Is it true?"

She shifted her eyes up to his but turned her head away, not saying anything. "We'll talk when we get to Emmanuel's. The walls have eyes."

She brushed his hands off her arms and continued leading the way to her acquaintance's place. The walk was silent and tense with unanswered questions and attraction.

It only took a little more walking before Aveline had them turning a corner then walking down a slightly hidden street before she stopped at a door to their right. Her knuckles rapped on the door and almost immediately the door flew open. A rather tall and lanky black male opened the door wide, flashing Aveline a smile before engulfing her in a bear hug. Connor couldn't keep the frown off his face.

"Aveline! Thought you were never going to show your face around here again. Too busy with the company you keep nowadays?" She shook her head, smiling softly after they separated.

"Nothing like that, mon frère. We'll talk soon. But now, I need a room for my friend. Have any spares?"

When she gestured to Connor, it had been the first time the man had acknowledged Connor's presence. He almost seemed startled by him. "Now. I've never see the likes of you around here. New in town?" Connor only vaguely nodded.

"Not much of a talker, now is he? Yes, I have room." He shuffled them into his home, but Connor noted that he had checked outside the door before shutting it. Something seemed off about the man, but he was Aveline's friend; so, he kept that to himself.

Hustling them into a room that stored furniture that had seen better days but still radiated warmth and comfort, Emmanuel excused himself. Apparently, he had been in the middle of getting ready to leave for an important job. Aveline explained to Connor that Emmanuel was a jack-of-all-trades, but from the laugh and shrug he gave Connor, he knew the man was probably going out to meet up with a woman rather than going for a real job. But Connor didn't care. He was glad that it would—hopefully—just be the two of them together. They had a lot of talking to do.

And though they did have a lot to talk about, Connor didn't want to be the one to start the conversation. Aveline knew why he was here, but she kept stalling. Taking a seat on the bed, Connor watched as she walked around the room, touching random trinkets on the dresser or straightening out various objects. He had never seen her act like that before and it brought a smile to his face, despite wanting to just tell her to stop and tell him the truth.

Knowing that she couldn't put this off any longer or else things would turn sour between them, Aveline turned to face Connor, yet she couldn't speak. They were finally in a well lit place, and seeing his face clearly stilled her words. He was even more handsome than she remembered. Of course he didn't look like the guys she was used to seeing around New Orleans or while brunching with Madeline and her fellows, but he did have a rugged handsomeness that Aveline thought tremendously endearing and attractive. His piercing brown eyes never left her face as she drew closer to him, cupping his cheek in her palm before reaching for his hood.

"You need to get this fixed. This was my favorite coat to see you in." A smile tugged on her lips and then his. She was standing so close to him that she was practically standing between his legs, feeling the warmth and smelling the scent of wood and musk that radiated from him. It comforted her like nothing else had.

"I missed you..." The words barely escaped her lips above a whisper as her fingers slid back to cup his cheek; her fingers and gentle caress sent shivers through him. He dared not to move as he saw her studying his face, shifting her fingers to run over almost every inch of his face before settling over his hair, practically petting him.

Overwhelmed by a flood of love and admiration for Aveline, Connor wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer to him as he buried his face in her stomach to inhale her scent and to confirm she was really within his grasp once again. Aveline continued to stroke his hair.

"I never want you to leave my side again." His words were muffled by her body, but she made out what he said. It made her laugh as she lightly pulled on his ponytail until he looked up at her.

"Trust me, I never wanted to, mon cher." That was all Connor needed to hear at that moment. Sliding his hand up her arm, he pulled her down until their lips locked in a gentle caress. However, it didn't take long for the lust he'd been harboring for her to rise, shifting the kiss into a more heated one.

Aveline pulled away from Connor's lips slowly and reluctantly, breathing deep and shallow. She licked her lips, eyeing his reaction when she did so. Smiling lightly, she reached over to pull the tie out of his hair then taking off her hat to fling it away from her. Leaning over, she crushed their lips together again; a hand buried in his hair.

Rising off the bed, lips still locked together, Connor fumbled to get Aveline out of her coat and clothes. It was more work than he thought, but as he bared her skin for his viewing pleasure, he relished in skimming his lips and teeth over her soft skin, first starting at her jawline before traveling down her neck. The moans that escaped her lips and brushed against his ears encouraged him to not stop until she pushed him back, only to start stripping him the same way he had done to her. Soon, they were bared from the waist up.

Aveline shivered as Connor's rough hands roamed her body, bringing her skin to a heightened sense of pleasure and sensitivity that she'd never felt before. His lips and tongue didn't leave an inch of her neck unexplored, and before she knew it, she was laying on her back on top of the bed with Connor crouched above her, bearing his weight on his arms and leaning over to give her chest his undivided attention. Her back arched off the bed as his tongue worked wonders on her, leaving her trembling and slightly out of breath after he raised his head, licking his lips.

Their eyes locked for a brief moment until Connor looked down, backing up. She started to protest, thinking he was going to get up, but he had shifted to grip the waistband of her pants and started tugging. The fabric slid down her slender legs, baring everything about her to him. Connor all but growled at the sight of her, at the smell of her which seemed to bring out something primal in him. He leaned over to nipped and kissed his way up her stomach, reaching her lips and seizing them in a kiss.

"Connor..." His name slid breathlessly from her red and plump lips after their lips parted long enough to get air back into their lungs. He understood what she was trying to say even though she hadn't finished.

Aveline closed her eyes, pressing Connor down closer to her body and shivering in anticipation as she heard him fumbling with his trousers. She showered his face in soft kisses as her legs spread wider to accommodate him. It hurt a bit as she accepted him into her body, but it felt so right. Lifting his head, Connor stared into Aveline's eyes, watching the expressions on her face as well. He opened his mouth to say something, but she captured his lips before he could, and everything seemed to get fuzzy; a haze captured him as pleasure and love stole his senses, tuning out everything but the gorgeous woman who lay beneath him.

Connor shifted beside her, pulling her body closer to his, and Aveline smiled into his chest. They were still naked, but Connor had snagged a blanket and placed it over them before they both drifted off to sleep. She had awakened by his soft movements to get closer to her warmth after the cover drifted from over him.

She ached in a few places, but it was comforting to know that they had finally connected. Aveline shifted a bit to be able to look at Connor's face. She couldn't stop touching him; her fingers traced the scars on his chest from battles and fights forever engraved on his body. When she brushed over a long thin line near his heart, Connor's eyes opened and glazed at her face.

She smiled, a little self-conscious now that he was awake and everything was over. Connor didn't have the same reaction though. He pulled her closer, planting a soft kiss to her lips.

They stayed like that, near each other for a while longer until Aveline's body starting going numb from being in one position too long. She rose and immediately placed on her shirt, but nothing more, conscious of Connor's gaze and the cold draft she now felt wafting into the room from unknown holes in the walls.

"Aveline." She turned around and into his embrace. He had pulled his trousers back on. Smiling, she looked up at his face. His fingers brushed over her cheek before tilting her chin up. She thought he was going to kiss her, but he just studied her face, trying to search for something there.

Connor blinked and caressed Aveline's chin. He didn't want to bring this up now, but he needed answers. Yet, all he could get out was, "Why?"

Aveline couldn't even pretend to not know what he was talking about. She looked away, trying to back out of his arms, but Connor tightened his arms and lifted her chin up, keeping eye contact. "Why, Aveline?"

She clenched her jaw. "I'm a Templar solely because I want to be one." The surprise and pain in his eyes made her heart drop. "We're no longer allies, Connor. I'm no longer an Assassin."

His arms had slackened, and she pulled from his grasp. Connor stared at her. "No. I don't believe this. I thought you hated them more than I do?"

Aveline shook her head. "I was wrong." She didn't elaborate, but instead, started putting on the rest of her clothes. Connor just stared and watched her.

"I have to be getting back. I'll come talk with you again tomorrow. Please, stay out of sight." With that and without as much as a glance back, Aveline left the room; Connor still standing in a stupor in the middle of the drafty unknown room, half-dressed. This wasn't going the way he planned. What was really going on?


	10. Part 8

Aveline hadn't returned to Emmanuel's for a few days. She couldn't bring herself to go see Connor or face the emotions that she would surely see etched upon his face. She had betrayed him, and it hurt to know that he thought so.

Connor stayed put at Emmanuel's place, not sure what to do. He had found Aveline, and they had talked. However brief it actually was. She had confirmed it herself that she was truly a Templar spy now. They were not on the same side. But, he couldn't bring himself to believe that it was true. Something inside him gave her the benefit of the doubt.

A short knock sounded on Connor's door before it flew open, allowing Emmanuel to enter. He smiled wide, flour still streaked across his cheek and some on the makeshift apron he wore.

"Dinner be served. Are you going to eat with us today?" He had asked the same question every night, but Connor had declined, opting to think and eat alone in his room. Connor studied the man this time before giving an answer. Emmanuel knew Aveline as an Assassin and a Templar, but how much did she actually tell him?

"Yes. I'll join you." The smile on Emmanuel's face brightened as he led Connor to his dining room where three settings were placed.

"My sister said she'll be arriving later. She works hard, but she's dedicated to that family, ya know?"

"Your sister... where does she work?" Connor sat down with Emmanuel.

"She works for the de Grandpre's. Well, more like for Miss Madeleine de l'Isle."

"Aveline's stepmother?"

"Yes. Ever since she's been back, that woman hasn't really let her leave her side." That sparked Connor's attention.

"Can you tell me more about Miss Madeleine?"

"Hmm. Not much I know about her. She's been with Aveline since I've known her. Heard her mother died or something and Monsieur de Grandpre married her when Aveline was still young. I remember that she didn't approve of Aveline's decision to be an Assassin. I don't know the reason behind that." Emmanuel shrugged and continued eating his food, not noticing the way Connor had stopped halfway through his.

Before he could continue to ask more questions of Emmanuel, Marie Louise entered the room. She slide off her coat and walked over to them, pecking her brother on the cheek and giving Connor a smile. "Hey boys. Emmanuel, the dockman down the way needs your help."

"Help with what?" But Marie Louise just shook her head and shrugged. Emmanuel sighed and frowned, scarring down the rest of his food and getting up to leave. As soon as he was out of ear and eye sight, Marie Louise turned to Connor. Her eyes wide and fearful. Immediately, he was on alert.

"What's wrong?"

"You're Connor, right?" He nodded. Marie sat down heavily, bringing out a handkerchief from her dress and dabbing her eyes. "You haven't heard from Aveline, have you?"

Connor shook his head, rising slowly from his seat. Food completely forgotten. "What's happened?"

"I don't know. I honestly don't know. I haven't heard from her or Madame Madeleine since last night." She placed her head in her hands, shoulders shaking.

"What happened before they disappeared?"

Marie Louise took a while to answer, trying her hardest to keep from sniffling enough to answer him. "She was called away by Madame Madeleine like usual, but while I was cleaning her room... she came back and looked so determined. Before—days ago after she came back from an escape, Miss Aveline loves to run out after coming back from outings with Madame—she was so sad. I tried to ask her what happened, but she refused to tell me. Just locked herself in her bathroom."

Connor looked away, knowing that the reason behind that one was him. It hurt to know that he caused her distress.

"But," Marie Louise continued with her rambling. "she came out the day after. I heard her talking with Madame. It sounded pretty serious. Something about a 'mission' and 'final induction into the Order'?" Marie Louise frowned, trying her hardest to remember the bits and pieces of their conversation, one that she had accidentally eavesdropped on as she was cleaning the hallway outside the study where the two were chatting.

"Did you see or hear where they were going?" Connor asked, trying his hardest to not run from the room to go search for her.

Marie Louise shook her head again slowly then looked up at him, eyes wide. "I do! It was when they were talking about the induction. They were going to be meeting some acquaintances of Madame's at... Saint Louis Cathedral!"

"Saint Louis Cathedral? Are you sure?"

Marie Louise nodded her head. "Yes. The Madame went there every Sunday and other days as well. I'm positive that's where they were headed."

Connor turned from the table and sprinted to his room, hurriedly placing on his hood and gathering up his weapons. Marie Louise followed him, watching him place on the items. He turned to face her. "Thank you."

"Wait Monsieur Connor. Take this." She ruffled through a bag that Connor hadn't noticed she was carrying. His breath caught in his throat when he saw that she pulled out Aveline's hidden blade. The sigma of the Creed glared back at him from the slightly tarnished weapon.

"I don't know why Aveline left this. She carried it everywhere. Please, take it with you. Give it to her. Make sure she's okay." Marie's voice cracked at the end, and she started crying again.

Connor took the blade from her and hooked it onto his left arm, making sure it was secure. Turning to Marie, he placed a hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry. I'll find her. I won't let anything bad happen to her."

A few minutes later, after getting directions to the cathedral from Marie Louise, Connor took off, looking for a horse stable. The cathedral was further than he thought that it would be. It would take him an hour or more to reach it, with it being on the outskirts of town. He hoped that he would reach them in time. He wouldn't let Aveline go through with being a Templar.

Aveline sat in the carriage with Madeleine, looking out the side mirror. It was nearly pitch black outside, but that didn't stop her from gazing out. It was better than looking at her stepmother and thinking about what lay ahead of her.

She couldn't really believe that the moment had finally come. She was finally going to be a Templar agent. Her heart thudded erratically in her heart, mimicking the way it had when Madeleine first told her a week ago. The scene played in her head again.

_Madeleine had called her for to meet in her father's study. She had been feeling down since that night with Connor, and had been avoiding both her stepmother and Emmanuel's place. _

_Yet, she went to Madeleine's side, annoyed and ready to decline any invitations to go out to dinner or brunch with any men. She decided that she was through with that and would demand to be included in any Templar assignments. She was ready._

_When she got to the study, the door was open and she could hear her stepmother humming away. Going inside, Aveline noticed that it wasn't just the two of them. There was a man that she hadn't seen before sitting in a chair, watching her as she entered. He rose when she closed the door behind her, alerting Madeleine of her presence. _

_Madeleine spun around to see her, smiling pleasantly. "Aveline, my dear. Nice of you to join us. I have some exciting news for you." _

_Aveline had stood there, darting her attention between the two of them. Madeleine saw her eyeing the man. "Don't worry about him. He's just another member of the Order." She flowed over to Aveline's side, hugging her stepdaughter. "And soon, you will be too."_

_Aveline had slowly reacted to the news, not sure if she had heard it right. When she was sure she wasn't imagining the words, Aveline pushed away from her stepmother, mouth agape. "Are you sure?"_

_Madeleine nodded, smiling happily. "Yes! I've decided that you are ready. You have followed my orders to a 't,' and I've taught you all you need to know. Plus, we've been reviewing what you did to Agate—such a nuisance that man was. I'm so happy that we'll be together."_

_She flung herself at Aveline again, hugging her close. Aveline didn't really know what to say. She just hugged Madeleine back, looking at the man. He was smiling as well then stepped forward once the women separated, holding out his hand. _

"_It's an honor to meet you, Aveline. I've heard so much about you from Madame Madeleine. You've chosen the right path, ditching those pathetic Assassins. The Order is far superior, as you will soon see."_

_The man's words about her Brotherhood had irked her, but Aveline kept her emotions in check and thanked the man, shaking his hand. _

"_Now! We'll be leaving soon. You'll need to pack a few things, my dearest Aveline. You'll be staying with Monsieur de Ferrer, and he'll teach you about the wonderful history of the Order. I'm so happy to see you follow in my footsteps." She hugged Aveline again then stepped away._

"_We'll be having your induction at Saint Louis Cathedral. Remember when I used to take you there with me when you were a child? You didn't know it then, but I've been training you to be a Templar since then. And now, you're going to be one. I'm so proud of you."_

Aveline rubbed her arm as her mind recapped that day. She still couldn't believe it. Looking down, Aveline traced over the area of her arm where he hidden blade had always rested against. She couldn't bring it with her this time due to the outfit that Madeleine had her wear. It was sleeveless and the blade would have been immediately noticed and confiscated.

"Aveline... Aveline?" She turned her head, realizing her stepmother had been trying to get her attention.

"Sorry. Yes, Madame?"

"Oh, dear. Don't worry so much. Everything will go splendidly. You'll soon forget everything about the Brotherhood and see how wrong their ways are in comparison to ours. Just relax. We'll be there soon." She patted Aveline's arm then looked ahead; a smile etched on her face.

Aveline nodded and rested her back on the seat; eyes going back to look out the window. Connor's face flashed through her mind, but she quickly squelched it. If everything did go as planned, they would be enemies, and she'd be honor bound to kill him on sight.

Her heart ached, but she didn't dwell on it. Other matters were of importance now, and no matter how much she didn't want their chapter to close, it seemed like it was never destined to continue without bloodshed and pain.

Connor felt a shiver run down his back, knowing that it wasn't from the wind brushing past him as he rode his horse. They were going as fast as they could, but something told him to go faster. He needed to hurry, hurry to Aveline. His senses told him if he didn't get to her fast, then he'd lose her forever.

"Faster," he told the horse, leaning forward and gripping the reigns tight. "Come on, hurry." He couldn't lose her. He wouldn't allow it without a fight.


	11. Part 9

Aveline remained motionless as the cathedral came into sight. They were almost there, but she didn't feel nervous. She didn't feel anything actually. It was as if her whole body was numb; numb from her emotions and the reality of the situation that was about to unfold.

Madeleine moved beside her, and Aveline looked at her stepmother, really looked at her. She wore one of her finest dresses—rich purple with gold trimmings with a necklace to match. Her hair had been styled in an up-do by an astounding hairstylist who recently moved to New Orleans from France not even three weeks ago. Though Madeleine was aging, present by the wrinkles around her eyes and mouth, she still looked regal and modest.

Her eyes caught Aveline's, and she smiled, a soft yet proud smile of a woman who knew things were going the way she planned. Aveline turned her head, not returning the smile.

"Aren't you just excited Aveline, dear? I am. I've waited for this moment your entire life." Aveline didn't respond. She kept her eyes on the cathedral. The building glowed from the candles and lights around and from within the tall, looming structure. It looked the same as it did when Aveline had visited it when she was a child. Back then, she never liked the building because something about it scared her, and as they drew closer, it frightened her even more. Once she got inside the building, she knew that her future—her life—would truly be in the balance between the Order and the Brotherhood.

Connor jumped from the top of his horse, expertly landing on his feet, and ran toward the stables a few feet from where his previous horse refused to leave. He hadn't meant to exhaust it, but obviously wasn't up to the task he presented before it.

Running up to the stable boy, startling the lad, Connor asked him if he was near the cathedral. With shaky hands, the boy pointed to the building's general direction, stating that they weren't that far, but that the Native would still have a ways to go. Connor tossed some coins at the boy, cheering him up instantly, before reaching for the reins of another horse. Thanking the kid, Connor took off again.

Aveline took a deep breath when the carriage stopped near the entrance of the building. Madeleine exited quickly with the help of a man who had stood at the entrance, waiting for their arrival. He stayed put, hand outstretched to help Aveline out as well. She ignored him as she stepped out of the carriage; eyes immediately locked upon the cathedral. Up close, it looked even more ominous and looming.

Casting her eyes away from the building, Aveline spotted Madeleine chatting with de Ferrer as he instructed the carriages that were there before theirs into an orderly fashion. Her stepmother smiled broadly at something de Ferrer told her, and her eyes shifted over to Aveline's direction. Patting the man on his back, Madeleine made her way over to Aveline's side and placed her hand on her stepdaughter's back, both facing the doors to the cathedral.

"Come along. Your new life awaits us both." They climbed the steps together, and as the doors opened, engulfing the two in a bright light, Aveline looked back once. The door closed as she turned her head back.

Once Aveline's eyes adjusted to the bright light, she stopped at the end of the long aisle. On both sides, Templar agents, numbering in about twenty or thirty, stood and faced her and Madeleine. Some she recognized as men and women who were present at their brunches and outings. Madeleine squeezed Aveline's shoulders and advanced ahead of her, leaving Aveline in the back. Everyone's attention focused on the ascending figure of Madeleine's as she reached the altar, where there was a vast display of candles and in the center, the Templar symbol, replacing where the Cross of Christ would have sat.

Madeleine touched the Templar symbol and turned to face her agents, smiling proudly.

"Today is a very special day. For many years, I have watched my daughter grow into the strong woman that she is today. Like us all, she has made some questionable choices, but in the end, she found the right path. The path to us. The path to the Order. Today, we induct my lovely, daughter, Aveline de Grandpre, into our clan and into our hearts and arms. We're glad that she has chosen wisely and joined us, the greater good. Aveline, please join me." Madeleine stretched her hand out, gesturing for Aveline to advance the aisle and come to her side.

Steeling her nerves and straightening her back, Aveline stepped forward, eyes on her stepmother. Yet, she noticed some agents smiling at her, nodding, and welcoming her. Some people knew of her Assassin affiliation and voiced their opinion about it, but no one directed his or her harsh words at her. When Aveline finally reached Madeleine, she held on her to stepmother's hand and turned to face the crowd. The applause was polite and controlled. For a second, Aveline was reminded of her induction into the Assassin Brotherhood.

Connor slowed his horse down to a mere jog as they drew closer to the cathedral. He kept the horse off to the side of the well-paved road and his hood down as carriages sped by him. He lost count of the exact number that passed by him on their way out, but he knew that once he got to the cathedral, he'd be dealing with a lot of enemies.

When he reached on opening in the road that fanned out before the cathedral, he hopped off his horse. He steered the steed off the road completely and hid it behind a tree. The horse neighed at him but didn't try to wonder off. Patting the horse's head, Connor crept off, stalking the perimeter of the building. From what he could tell, there lay about five men stationed around the front of the building. Three of them were drivers of the carriage, and the other two were guards, apparent by their uniforms. Slowly, he made his way over to the one closest to him. He knew he'd have to strike quick and quietly.

Madeleine waved her hand at the crowd, and the room instantly fell silent again. She turned to Aveline. "Now, Aveline, hand over the necklace."

At first, Aveline was confused, but then she remembered that Madeleine had given back Agate's necklace to her before their arrival to the cathedral. Unclasping it from around her neck, Aveline squeezed the gem in her hand, remembering her mentor, who she hadn't meant to kill but had. Steeling her memory from going down that path, Aveline quickly handed over the jewelry. Madeleine smiled and held it up triumphantly to the crowd.

"Behold, the necklace of the departed Agate, Mentor and leader of the Louisiana Assassin Brotherhood, the man who corrupted my daughter's mind only to be taken down by her very hand, so she could join us."

The crowd applauded again with some shouting slurs about the Assassin's. Aveline stood there, silently taking everything in. While people were cheering, de Ferrer sidled up to Madeleine, whispering something in her ear. Aveline saw this from the corner of her eye and noted the way Madeleine's face stiffed, causing her smile to falter for a fraction of a second.

The man left Madeleine's side, and she hushed the crowd again, placing the necklace on the altar, below the symbol. She turned to Aveline and directed for her to kneel before her, and as Aveline got into position, the doors burst open. Aveline stalled with one knee already on the ground before turning to see what happened.

She gasped when she saw Connor rushed into the room, stopping near the center. He was bloodied, but she could tell that it wasn't his blood that marred his Assassin's robes.

"Aveline, don't do this! Please... Aveline." He stared at her and her alone, not caring if the agents surrounded him. Some of the men grabbed onto his arms, but Connor didn't put up a fight. His eyes stayed locked on hers.

"Connor..." Aveline rose as her body moved on its own accord to go to his side. She stopped again at Madeleine's voice.

"Who let him in? Monsieur de Ferrer," the French man came to her side immediately. His head downcast at her strained voice, "I thought you said you had this under control?"

The man rose his head, about to respond, but Madeleine cut him off. Literally. Her dagger, which Aveline hadn't noticed she was carrying, was now imbedded in Monsieur de Ferrer's neck. Blood pooled around his body once it lay lifeless on the cathedral's floor.

Aveline stayed rooted in her spot, eyes on de Ferrer's body. She was horrified by her stepmother's display of anger.

"Bring him here." Her head shot away to the crowd as the men carried Connor up to the altar. Once again, Connor's eyes never left Aveline's face. She could see the pleading in his eyes before they turned cold as he shifted his gaze to Madeleine for the first time. The agents stopped at the end of the altar, literally placing Aveline in the middle of the two people destined to change her life.

All eyes shifted to Madeleine. Wiping her slightly bloodied hands off on a handkerchief, Madeleine tossed it in the general direction of de Ferrer's body then turned to address Connor.

"It's rather rude of you to come crashing my daughter's special evening. As you can see, this is an invitation only function." She smiled though her eyes did not. "I'll deal with you myself later... Actually, once your induction is over, your first duty is to kill this Assassin, Aveline." Madeleine smiled again, wider, delighted by her own thought.

Aveline clenched her fist and looked back to Connor, knowing that she couldn't kill him. She wouldn't. "No." The word came out softly, but it gave Madeleine a start. She gasped softly.

"What did you just say, young woman? After all I have done for you? I brought you into my house. I showed you love. I gave you everything of mine... This will be the last time you disappoint me." Madeleine's voice grew louder and louder, but she stopped herself, visibly collecting her emotions. "Aveline. You're here to be a Templar. I won't have these men influence you anymore."

"These men?" Aveline narrowed her eyes, wondering what Madeleine was trying to insinuate.

"Yes, these men. All the men in your life are worthless. Always trying to drive you away from me, corrupt your life, and lead you down paths that drag you further away from your true calling which is to be by my side. I'll dispose of every one of them."

"Starting with whom?"

Madeleine smiled almost sadly at Aveline. "Starting with Agate, of course. I meant to kill him myself of have de Ferrer do it, but you can see how useless he was." She motioned to his body vaguely. "I thought that after your father, there would be no one in my way, but then this man comes crashing in here. I swear, I cannot take this anymore. The company you keep, my dear, is atrocious."

"My... my father? What did you do to my father?"

Again, Madeleine flashed her that smile, pitying her stepdaughter. "Oh, your father... I really did love him, but alas, he was only a diversion to put people off my trail as the 'Company Man,' but then I met you. You were like a diamond in the rough, Aveline. I knew you would prove to be an amazing Templar, but your father, bless his soul, shouldn't have gotten in my way. We'll have a proper funeral for him and everything once your induction is complete. Now, let us hurry along. I grow tired of these setbacks. I've worked too hard for this to go to waste."

Aveline watched in silence as Madeleine turned her back to her, emotions raging inside of her.

Connor fixed his eyes back on Aveline, hurting for her. He wanted to kill Madeleine when she told her about killing her husband, Aveline's father. He woman was nothing but evil and deluded in thinking that Aveline was anything like her. Aveline was gentle, kind, and merciful. Everything that Madeleine was not. If he wasn't restrained, he would have certainly killed Madeleine with his bare hands. The Order and especially Madeleine were not good enough to have Aveline.

"Bring the Assassin here. I've decided to kill him myself, so you won't have anything to look back upon Aveline. May your memories of the Brotherhood die with him." The agents brought Connor closer, and he stared at Aveline as he passed by her stilled form. She didn't look at him but kept her eyes downcast. Connor took his eyes off of her only when Madeleine stepped in front of him, a sword in her hand. She raised it to his neck.

"I would ask if you have any final words, but I don't really care to hear them. Goodbye, Assassin."

She lifted the sword back to strike him down, but as she brought the sword back, something struck her blade. People gasped, and Madeleine turned her head to see Aveline, wielding her own sword, stolen off of an unsuspecting agent.

"Aveline. How dare you defy me?" Madeleine's anger rose, and she moved to strike Aveline, but Connor saw his move and took it, kicking her away from him and off balance. Two of the agents holding on to him let go to try and catch Madeleine, freeing Connor enough to throw off the others. They went stumbling away from him, and he went to Aveline's side, fumbling to take something off his arm.

"Are you alright, Connor?" He smiled despite the situation. Of course, she would be worried about him through everything that happened.

"I'm fine, but Aveline, listen. Forget about the Brotherhood and the Order. Do what you think is best for you. Whatever you chose, I'll be right by your side." He took her right arm and put her hidden blade back on, fastening it on. Aveline looked up at him; her eyes questioning, but Connor just smiled.

"Kill them! Kill them both!" Madeleine's shrill voice echoed in the hall, and the agents descended on Connor and Aveline.

Connor swung around Aveline, placing his back up against hers and comforting Aveline enough to allow her to make up her mind. "You're right, Connor. My life is mine to do with what I want, and I don't want this. I don't want any of this."

Connor nodded, already throwing and swiping at agents as they're swarmed. But between the two of them, the Assassins made short work of the agents brave enough to stay and fight them. Some chose to abandon the fight, running from the building and ignoring Madeleine's screams for them to come back. Several minutes later, the last of the Templar agents have fallen or fled, leaving Madeleine alone with Connor and Aveline.

Connor took a step toward Madeleine, anger rolling off him in waves, but Aveline stopped him with a gentle and simple hand to the chest. He glared at Madeleine, who defiantly glared back at him, before stepping back, watching Aveline advance toward her stepmother.

Madeleine turned her glare from Connor to Aveline. Her clothes and hair disheveled from her stumble, but she attempted to right them while looking at Aveline. "I don't know what's gotten into you Aveline, but you have disappointed me. You let him," she pointed to Connor, "get in the way of your future."

Aveline actually stopped and gave a short chuckle. "My future? Only I can decide that. Besides, look around you, Madeleine. Not much of a future you have either." It was Aveline's turn to gesture to the bodies of Madeleine's agents scattered about the hall.

With Aveline's back turned, Madeleine picked up her sword and made a lunge for Aveline. Only the younger woman was expecting it and quicker, sidestepping the move and driving her blade into Madeleine's side. Madeleine cried out, dropping her sword and backing away from Aveline while clutching her side.

"Why have you betrayed me like this Aveline? I am your mother." Madeleine fell to her knees, shifting to her side and staring up at Aveline with puzzlement and sadness.

"Me? Betray you?" Aveline coldly retorted. "And I only have two parents whom I truly loved, and you are not one of them. You killed my father with your 'care." All he ever did was love you, and you repay him with lies and then kill him? You betrayed him. You betrayed me. You took away my mother with your toxic ways and intended to enslave me with your Templar cause—"

"I did it for the greater good! We, the Templars... you... all of it was for the greater good. My work was for the divine purpose of saving the human race. In the service of humanity! In work... the purpose for which you were created. We were created! The highest purpose... that is the cause of the Templars." Madeleine interrupted Aveline to say.

Aveline shook her head, defiantly to the end. "No. Your work wasn't for the greater good. You did it for yourself. And I will _never_ be forced to serve another."

With those last words, she assassinated her stepmother, ending the reign of the Templars in the South.

Connor silently came up behind Aveline and placed his hand on her shoulder. She didn't look at him or the body of Madeleine's which lay at their feet. Instead, she stepped over the corpse and headed to the altar, picking up Agate's necklace and once again placing it over her neck along with the one her true mother had given her all those years ago.

"Let's go, Connor." She returned to Connor's side. Taking his hand in hers, they left the building.


	12. Part 10

Connor glanced down at Aveline again for what seemed like the umpteenth time. She hadn't said anything since their departure from the cathedral. They hadn't been able to find another horse for her, so she hopped up on his while he got behind her. He had offered her the reins, but she hadn't taken them and had opted to lean back into him while keeping her balance and eyes set forward.

Keeping the pace relatively slow since he didn't know where they should go or really the way back to Emmanuel's, Connor just allowed the horse to walk straight on. He wanted to talk with Aveline about what happened back in the cathedral, about if she really would have joined the Templar Order if he hadn't stopped her in time. There were so many questions that had yet to be truly answered, yet something about her demeanor told him to wait. She was still fighting the demons in her head, struggling to make sense of it all.

It seemed like forever before they reached the beginnings of the city. Connor stopped the horse outside of a stable, jumping off before helping Aveline down. Though he knew she could get down by herself, he just wanted to keep touching her, to reassure her that he was there.

Aveline landed by his side, looking down at their entwined fingers. She followed behind him as he went about making sure the horse was taken care of and continued following him as he led her to a bench not far from the stables. There wasn't a lot of light near them, but she could make out his face when they down. She could tell he wanted to talk about what happened and how she was feeling. Thing was—she didn't even know how she was feeling.

"Aveline, you're not hurt anywhere are you?" She hadn't expected him to say that first, and it made her smile while she shook her head.

"No. Are you, _cher_?"

"I'll survive a few bruises here and there."

"I'm truly sorry you were dragged into my mess. My family sure is messed up, hm?" She tried to laugh it off, but the chuckle got caught in her throat and tears stung her eyes. Connor noticed it but didn't fault her for it. He just squeezed her hand softly.

"I... how did you know where I was, Connor?"

"Marie Louise told me. She overheard your conversation. The woman really cares for you."

"Yeah, she's like a sister to me. I owe her and Emmanuel a great deal of gratitude. You as well, Connor. _Je vous remercie de tout cœur_. I was lost, but you helped me. _Merci_, Connor. _Merci_."

"Aveline, you don't need to thank me. You would have done the right thing in the end. You're nothing like Madeleine. Trust in your own hands. Your own morals."

Aveline smiled softly then looked up at Connor, scanning his face with her eyes. "You told me that once before when we first met. Seeing you deal with your father being a Templar and how you came to be how you are despite it—honorable, kind, and merciful—gave me the strength to fight back against my stepmother. I fought for my life, for my own future, and I'm thanking you for being there beside me to help me see it."

Connor smiled and moved his free hand up to Aveline's face, cupping her cheek before pulling her closer until their lips touched in a soft kiss. He let the kiss linger for a couple of minutes before parting their lips, resting their foreheads together. Aveline kept her eyes closed as Connor caressed her cheek with his hand. He pecked her lips again. "I'll always be beside you. I trust in no one but you."

"I trust in only you, Connor."

Her words made Connor smile. After a few more minutes of resting in comfortable silence next to one another, Aveline slowly pulled away from Connor, sighing deeply.

"As much as I don't want this to end, I have a lot of business to attend to. The others must know of the fall of the Templars here in Orleans. We need to make preparation in case others try to encroach on our territory, and someone needs to replace Agaté..."

"Aveline. I'm here for you. We'll do this together. Where to first?"

Aveline smiled up to Connor as he rose and offered his hand to her. She took it, and he pulled her up and into his arms where he gave her a small peck on the lips.

"First we go to spread the word. We need to gather up as many assassins as we can. We have important information for them."

Connor nodded, and the two made their way back to the horse.

Two hours after getting back from the massacre at the Saint Louis Cathedral, Aveline stood in the hall of her late father's and Madeleine's home. She felt awkward and uneasy being in the home after everything, but she had come to get some items.

Connor stayed by her side; though at the moment, he was looking out the window. An hour before, Aveline had made sure to light a signal tower situated not too far away. Almost immediately, the other towers lit up one by one. She was sure that all the assassins in the area saw her call before the flames were extinguished. The meeting was being held at Agaté's old home. Aveline came back only to get her things. For the time being, she was going to stay at her Mentor's home. It had always been more of a home to her anyways.

"Connor. I'm ready. Let's go." Aveline hurried from her old bedroom, clutching her bag to her chest. She didn't take much.

"Aveline... what will become of this house?" Connor called after her softly, making her stop at the bottom of the steps. She looked around then looked back up to him over her shoulder.

"Somebody will buy it I'm sure. It's grand, _non_? Madeleine put her pride in this house. Father... he wouldn't want me to live in this house by myself. The old man was always a worrier..."

Aveline shrugged, not away the question but more like she was trying to shrug off the emotions that Connor knew were affecting her. She didn't say anything more as she hurried to the door and slipped away from him.

They arrived to the meeting place in silence thought the area around them was anything but. Connor took in the crowd that waited inside Agaté's home. The men and women were decked out in outfits similar to Aveline's yet many featured influences of France, Britain, and Africa.

As they advanced to the front of the room where the assassin's were situated, the crowd parted, Connor didn't miss any of the sneers and scornful remarks sent their way. He was sure Aveline didn't miss them either even though her face and demeanor remained calm and controlled.

Once at the front, Connor stood off to the side and behind Aveline. This was her show and her meeting. He was there for support and defense in case anyone tried to harm Aveline in any way.

Aveline faced her sisters and brothers of the Creed and the room fell silent. She gazed over them for a few moments before opening her mouth, "The Templars here in New Orleans, our home, have been eradicated by my very hands and the hands of our Northern brother, Connor Kenway. With my very own blade, I took the life of the Company man, Madeleine de L'Isle. They are no more my brothers and sisters."

The room erupted into cheers and clapping at first, but as Connor was expecting, an angry voice boomed out as the noise died down.

"How can we be sure? Did you not cast away the Brotherhood to join those Templars yourself? How can we believe a thing you say though you speak to us as though we're equals? As though you're one of us wholeheartedly?"

Another voice followed behind. "Indeed. And wasn't the Company Man your stepmother? You've should have known all along. How dare you try and be one of us. How do we know that we didn't just step into one of your trap, you Templar filth!"

More voices spoke out, angry and throwing accusations at Aveline. She just stood tall and listened, glancing over the crowd and gauging their reactions.

Finally, the noise quieted down with all eyes on Aveline.

"I didn't come here to deceive any of you nor did I come here to explain myself, but I will if I must. I did join the Templars to infiltrate their ranks. I only learned that Madeleine, my stepmother, was the Company Man upon my return to New Orleans from my mission in New York. This very night I was to be inducted into their ranks, but with the help of Connor, I was able to put aside my feelings for my stepmother and do what was right for the people of Louisiana, my people, and my home. Madeleine is no more. The Templars are no more. If you do not believe, I'll direct you to Saint Louis Cathedral. I'm positive you all have heard about it burning down. That was Connor's and my doing. I am not lying to any of you. But if you still think I'm loyal to the Templars, then come up here and strike me down." Her voice rose in anger at the last words, and Aveline stood her ground, daring someone, anyone, to march up the steps and fight her.

The room remained silent, and no one moved. Aveline glared at them, and a hooded man started marching up the steps. Aveline turned her attention to him, but before he could reach her, Connor stepped in between them. The man held up his hands in defense then took down his hood. Emmanuel smiled at Aveline first then Connor before turning it on the crowd.

"I've known this woman for at least half her life. I know the words that she speaks are true. I have informants who were at the Cathedral tonight after we overheard there would be a Templar meeting there. My informants are trustworthy, and they told me about how Connor and Aveline took down a room bigger than this full of Templar agents ready and willing to kill them. I would not mistake her decisions for disloyalty. If there is anything I know about this woman, it is that she is loyal to the Brotherhood. She is loyal to her people and her cause to liberate us all."

Emmanuel walked around Connor and pulled Aveline into a hug, squeezing her body to his. He whispered something in her ear that Connor couldn't hear before releasing her. Aveline stumbled away from Emmanuel as he turned to the crowd again.

"We are in need of leadership now. Agaté, Mentor to most of us, has left a hole in our ranks after his unfortunate death. I know many of you think you can fill in that role, but I have my own nomination to put forth to you all. There would be no one better to lead us in this time than Aveline de Grandpré. She spent the most time with Agaté and the Templars to know what to do next. I trust in her, and she has my full support and service."

Aveline looked frozen when Emmanuel nominated her to be the next Mentor for the Brotherhood in Louisiana. Connor hadn't been expecting either, and though he felt a pain in his heart, he knew there was no one better for the job than her. Others in the crowd felt the same, and before Aveline could protest, many assassin's started kneeling down, heads bowed in her direction. Connor and Aveline looked around them at the display of trust and honor that the assassin's her giving her. Their eyes meet and with a smile, Connor kneeled down before Aveline as well. As she stood among her brothers and sisters, Aveline could feel her eyes welling up, but she did not let those tears fall. Instead she stood straighter and took off Agaté's necklace.

"I am honored. I shall not let you all down. I shall free us from the remaining Templars and help my people in any way I can. _Merci à tous_."

Aveline paced in the room that was now empty though it had been completely full of people just thirty minutes earlier. Her footsteps echoed out into the room, but she didn't stop not even when Connor stood in her path. She just spun on her heel and continued pacing a shorter distance than before.

"Aveline. You cannot stay in here all night. Come."

"No. I'm not cut out to be a Mentor, Connor. I'm honored to be one and that everyone accepted me after all I've been through, but I am not like Agaté. I cannot do what he did."

"Aveline," Connor stopped her pacing with both his hands on her shoulder, making her face him. "You can do it. Just trust in yourself."

"Easy for you to say. You know more about this job than I do. I'm sure you're better suited for this job than I am."

Connor shook his head. "This is your home. These are your people. They're looking to you for leadership."

Aveline studied Connor's face for a moment before nodding. Though the thought of leading her people seemed overwhelming to her, she knew she would do it. She was determined to see them free of tyranny and slavery.

Connor smiled softly at Aveline, and as he started withdrawing his hands from her, Aveline stopped him. She moved his hands to cup her face while she looked up at him, her eyes pleading and searching for something from him.

"Speaking of home, this could be yours as well... You could stay here with me. I want you to, _mon cher_."

Connor brushed his fingers over Aveline's cheeks, feeling her warmth, but he shook his head. Something she knew he was going to do. "I cannot. My mission is still incomplete. I still must find Lee. Please understand."

Aveline chuckled and pulled Connor's head down by pulling softly on his lapels. She pecked his lips once then twice. "I knew you would decline, but you'll always be welcomed here. In my house and in my bed. But won't you stay just a while longer?"

Connor smiled against Aveline's lips. "Just for a while longer."


End file.
